Aftershocks
by 4thDimensionalTransition
Summary: "What do you want to do Éponine? What do you think is the right thing to do?" He looked at her seriously, the laughter suddenly gone from his face. "I think I want to keep it," she said. She felt his hand interlocking with hers. "Then we'll figure this out, together." É/E Modern AU
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Shit, shit, shit" Éponine muttered to herself. She glared at the small pink plus sign. She was very proud of her glares, she had once reduced Joly to tears with one look, and yet no matter how hard she stared the pink plus sign defiantly remained. Did it have to be such a happy color? She hated pink; it was as if it was mocking her.

She sighed and threw the test on the pile with the others. She didn't really know what she had expected, one negative would not have negated the five positive results she had already received. And yet as her last ounce of hope started to fade away she felt tears begin to prick her eyes.

She glanced around her tiny bathroom with its scuffed floor and dirty shower curtain. When she was young she used to pretend her dolls were children, and she would play house with the little boy Montparnasse from down the street. But as she grew up and her parents money dried up along with their humanity, she had not allowed herself to pretend anymore. The little boy grew up to be one of her dad's cronies, and the dolls were sold to children who could afford them. She was always so careful, so practical, lest she ended up stuck in that life forever. She had gotten out, made good friends, but now it looked like this tiny apartment that she had once considered a stepping stone to a better life would be her last stop. This was as far as she would move up in the world if she was saddled down with a child.

Would she resent it? Would she end up like her parents, seeing her child as a burden, as the end to her own dreams?

She thought back to that night six weeks ago. The bitterness she had felt as she watched Marius joyfully dance with Cosette at their engagement party. She had tried to drown her sorrows in champagne as she listened to everyone gush about the beautiful couple. She did this for about an hour until _he_ had kneeled down beside her and offered to drive her home. She accepted with a nod and ignored the stares of Les Amis, filled with pity, as he took her hand and led her to the exit.

Marius hadn't even noticed her leaving.

When they reached her house she asked him to come upstairs. He declined politely until she explained that she didn't want to be alone. She was past caring how pitiful she sounded. He had nodded and followed her wordlessly upstairs. She immediately poured herself a glass of wine and he surprised her by pouring himself one too, not wanting her to drown her sorrows alone. Soon one glass had turned into two and then half a bottle of vodka and from here her memories are scattered.

She remembers the first kiss, although she could not recall who initiated it. It was gentle at first but quickly escalated into something more. She recalls the tangle of limbs, a feeling of ecstasy and contentment. There had been a moment where his piercing blue eyes had connected with hers and she had realized, even through her clouded mind, that this would change everything.

When she woke up the next morning, she allowed herself a moment of calm within his warm, muscular arms before carefully extracting herself without waking him, an art she had perfected over the years.

After she had dressed she looked at his face, so angelically calm and unlike his usual intense, passionate scowl. For a moment she allowed herself to imagine how the day could go if he woke up. At first it would be awkward, but then he would offer to make breakfast and they would laugh about the night before over scrambled eggs and french toast. He would suggest that maybe last night did not have to be a one time occasion, that he liked spending time with her, that he wanted to be more than friends.

But this was not how her life worked, she reminded herself. She was not the type of girl that guys wanted to spend more than one night with. She was a good fuck but nothing more, something Montparnasse had reminded her on her 18th birthday when she had told him she loved him. And although he was not Montparnasse and he was ten times the man Montparnasse had ever been, he was still a man. And she would always be Éponine, the poor girl from the slums in slightly better clothing. If Marius, the nicest boy she had ever met, couldn't see through that then no one would.

So she left for work, not even glancing back at the naked man whose feet were hanging endearingly over the edge of her tiny bed. And when she saw him later in Café Musain and he glanced at her but said nothing, she knew she had been right. No matter how angelic he seemed on the outside, he was just a man.

Since that night they had seen each other regularly and talked politics and rallies as if nothing had happened, although he never seemed to look her directly in the eyes. Sometimes she wondered if she had imagined the whole thing. When she had returned to her room that night the bed was made and it was almost as if he had never been there at all.

Sometimes she thought she could feel his gaze on her when she was across the room drinking with Grantaire or pretending to listen to Marius gush about Cosette's beautiful eyes or hair or collarbones or whatever he went on about. But whenever she looked back he was always looking down at his schoolwork or one of his speeches, and she told herself that she was just imagining it.

But now there was no getting around talking about what had happened, even if it seemed like he had no desire to. She briefly contemplated just getting rid of it and pretending nothing had ever happened. It would certainly be easier, but she didn't know what she wanted and he didn't deserve that. Besides she didn't even have the money for something like that, as evidenced by her tiny bathroom. She took a deep breath and slowly stood, steeling her resolve for what she knew she had to do.

Thirty minutes later, she stared up at the thick wooden door to his apartment and willed herself to knock. She knew he was a good man, yet she couldn't help imagining him responding to her news the way Montparnasse would, telling her she was a slut, that it couldn't be his, that she should have been on the pill, that she was trying to trap him. She finally raised a shaking hand.

He answered on the fifth knock and looked at her in surprise. His blonde curls were in disarray and she realized he had been sleeping. She hadn't bothered looking at the clock when she had left but estimated it was about 2 am. _I guess time doesn't stop when your world comes crashing down_ she mused.

"Éponine," Enjolras breathed. "What...?" but his sentence trailed off as she simply handed him one of the tests she had taken earlier that evening. His hair fell into his eyes and his brow wrinkled in confusion as he looked down at the test. His head then snapped up rather suddenly as he looked at her in awe.

"You're..." he barely whispered.

She nodded before he could finish his sentence.

"Shit," he muttered.

She nodded again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Thank so much for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites! Or to anyone who is reading this story in the first place. This is my first fanfic so it means a lot that everyone is enjoying it. Here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 2

They sat across from each other in complete silence, her on his very comfortable yet underused couch, and him in the armchair. Éponine wanted to speak and break the tension, but felt that he deserved a few minutes to absorb her news. After all, she had sat in the bathroom for a good three hours before plucking up the courage to speak to him.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely, truly looking her into her eyes for the first time in three weeks.

"For what?" she sputtered, confused.

She saw remorse in his eyes as he explained himself in a rush, as if he had been keeping his feelings inside for weeks, "I knew you were drunk and yet instead of doing the responsible thing and putting you to bed I decided to drink with you and then..." He closed his eyes and spoke in an ashamed tone so unlike his usual commanding voice. "I feel like I took advantage of you, and when I woke up that morning and you weren't there I figured you were probably mad at me, or just wanted to forget that it ever happened. But we should have talked about it, and we obviously didn't use protection and I didn't even ask if you were on birth control, which was incredibly irresponsible of me. I'm so sorry that I put you in this position, this is all my fault."

"You're not... you're not mad at me?" she sputtered once again.

"Mad at you? Why would I be mad at you? If anything you should be mad at me. In fact I thought you were mad at me, you have barely looked at me for the last three weeks," he gazed down at her, as if expecting an answer.

Éponine stared at him, was he really not mad? Was he really apologizing instead of yelling at her? She should have known that his response would be nothing resembling the kind of venom that spewed out of Montparnasse's mouth. She had known Enjolras for years, since they started University. He was passionate, polite and fiercely protective of his friends. He could be cruel, but only to those he that stood in the way of his dream for a better France, or those who threatened the ones he cared about.

And what was this about not looking at him for three weeks? Had she been avoiding his gaze as well without realizing it? She realized that in a way she had. But what did that mean, how did he feel about the night they spent together?

But Enjolras seemed to realize that that was a discussion for another time, as they had more pressing matters to deal with. He stood up and sat down on the couch beside her. He took her hand in his. It felt nice, Éponine realized, just holding his hand.

"What do you want to do Éponine?" he asked softly.

"You mean, you're asking me?" Éponine looked up at him in wonder.

Enjolras was perplexed. Éponine was usually a spitfire. She didn't take shit from anyone, except perhaps Marius. She was the only one of his friends who could consistently beat him in a verbal sparring match; it was probably why they usually got along so well. He didn't know what to do with this Éponine, so lost and unsure of herself. He felt sick to his stomach that it was his actions that had led her to feel this way.

"Of course, it's your body Éponine" he looked her in the eyes as they started to fill with tears, to his horror. He softly wiped away the first tear with his thumb, but soon they were coming too fast for him to control. He didn't know what to do with the crying girl in front of him. He hesitantly pulled Éponine into his arms as her tears turned into sobbing. He felt his shirt getting wet as he held her tighter.

Éponine felt as if the entire world was closing in on her, everything at once. Marius's engagement and the five pregnancy tests, and Enjolras was being so nice and considerate to her. She didn't know what to do, she felt so lost and unprepared for his question. She had no idea what she wanted, and she hadn't expected him to give her options. She felt like one of those teenage girls who get pregnant in high school, even if she was 22 and less than a year away from graduating from University.

So she began to cry, and the tears wouldn't stop. She hadn't cried in front of anyone for years. Sure, she sometimes got tears in her eyes, but this sort of uncontrollable sobbing, she barely even did this alone in the comfort of her own bed. Enjolras pulled her into his chest, which only made her cry harder. And she knew that her tears were making Enjolras uncomfortable, he had never handled emotions well, but she couldn't stop.

"I'm sorry" she managed to gasp out in between sobs.

"Shhhh it's okay" Enjolras reassured her as he rubbed his hand up and down her back. They sat in that position for a few more minutes. Enjolras realized how nice Éponine felt in his arms, and then felt ashamed for thinking that when she was so upset.

Éponine began to ramble "I just, I don't know what to do, and you're being so nice, and I wasn't expecting that but I should have because you're a nice guy Enjolras, you're one of the good ones, and I know you don't handle displays of emotion well and here I am sobbing into your shirt..."

Enjolras cut her off, "It's okay Éponine, I think some emotions are warranted in a situation like this, and this shirt could use a wash anyway."

She chuckled at his feeble attempt at a joke. She found that she was starting to calm down, she felt so warm and comfortable in his arms. "Do you think..." she hesitated "Do you think we could just not talk about this right now?" She expected him to refuse. He was usually so well prepared. She thought he would want to formulate a plan right now, so the future would be mapped out.

Enjolras looked into her big brown eyes, which were red rimmed but almost glowing in the aftermath of her tears. He could see how exhausted she was from the day's events. He didn't like feeling this unsure about the future, but he knew that she needed a break. "Sure, why don't we save the rest of this conversation for tomorrow? You can stay here tonight. We could watch a movie or something. I'll even let you watch one of those silly romance comedies that you love so much."

Éponine smiled at him, "That sounds perfect," she said.

She fell asleep on his shoulder ten minutes into the movie and he nodded off shortly after that, both of them unsure what the future would hold and where they would stand in it.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Éponine woke up to the delicious smell of breakfast food. She was so comfortable and warm that she just wanted to let her body drift back to sleep, but the smell was enticing and her stomach began to rumble. The second she opened her eyelids, she remembered where she was and the events of last night rushed through her brain. She groaned, it was time to snap back to reality. She was pregnant and she and Enjolras needed to talk.

"Good morning sunshine," Enjolras said from the kitchen. "I knew the smell would wake you up, you always said breakfast was your favorite meal of the day," he sounded more cheerful than she felt, and she suspected more cheerful than he felt as well. She walked to the kitchen and sat at the table where he placed a plate of scrambled eggs and french toast in front of her.

It occurred to her how similar this was to the morning she had imagined from all those weeks ago. She wondered what would have happened if she actually stayed that morning. Maybe it would have gone as she imagined and maybe she wouldn't be in the situation she was now. She would obviously still be pregnant, but maybe it wouldn't have been so awkward, maybe they would be happy about it.

"Éponine?"

She looked up and realized she had been staring at her food for a few moments.

"Sorry, this looks delicious, thank you. And thank you for last night, I'm sorry I woke you up." She pushed some of her long dark hair out of her face and picked up her fork.

"It's no problem, it was kind of important..." He trailed off, seemingly unsure where to start the next conversation they were both anticipating. He started to fiddle with his knife. "So... I guess we should talk about this."

Éponine swallowed her mouthful of food- it really was delicious, "Yes, that's probably a good idea."

They stared at each other for a moment, both unsure how to proceed.

"So, um, you mentioned last night that you didn't know what you wanted to do, and I thought maybe we could make...?"

"A pros and cons list?" Éponine finished for him. He looked a little surprised that she had known what he was about to say.

She chuckled at the look on his face. "Please Enjolras, I've known you for a while, you love making pros and cons lists. You once made one when you were drunk at a party about whether or not we should push Grantaire into the pool. I remember you decided on no because he might pass out and drown, but Courfeyrac did it anyway." She smiled at the memory. "I think it's a good idea, do you have any paper?"

He looked at her a bit sheepishly.

"You already started one didn't you? I've never met anyone who loved organizing things as much as you. Just tell me you didn't color code it?"

He stared at her blankly.

"Oh just hand it over," she said, sounding exasperated.

He handed her the brightly colored chart. She scoffed when she realized he'd used a ruler to make the lines as well. "We would have one neurotic kid," she mumbled. "We should add that to the list, do you think that's a pro or a con?"

Enjolras smiled to himself. He was glad she seemed to be getting her sense of humor back after last night. "I woke up really early okay? And I was bored. The red is for economic issues, the orange is for social issues, the purple is for..."

She half listened to him as she scanned the list. "Did you really put 'we would make beautiful children' on the list?" She laughed.

"Like I said, I woke up really early. I was bored, besides its true." He grinned as her smile grew until her dimples were visible. He had added it to the list hoping it would have that effect.

"I mostly just put down my concerns, I thought we could add yours now as well," he looked up at her expectantly.

"Well I know my biggest one is money, I should put that down in huge green letters."

"Well no, as I explained economic concerns are in red." She scoffed at him. "And anyway you don't have to worry about money, I'll cover anything you can't afford." In truth he would have paid for everything, but he knew Éponine was much too proud for that. She had worked too hard for what meager savings she had put away.

"Enjolras I can't ask you to do that!" she gaped at him. "You know I can barely pay for anything."

"You're not asking, I offered. Besides you need that money to finish school. No matter what we decide it is not going to stop you from graduating," he said in his authoritative voice. She knew there was no arguing with him when he used that voice. "Besides, like I said last night, I got you into this mess so..."

"Is that what you think Enjolras? This is both of our faults, maybe even more so mine since I was the one who got drunk in the first place and practically begged you to come to my room. Do you really think we would have ended up in bed if I hadn't wanted it? I think we both know who wears the pants in this relationship."

"But still, I didn't use protection," he started, choosing to ignore her last comment. "I mean I'm not really sure if I did I honestly can't remember."

"I don't think I had any at my place and unless you had a condom in your wallet or something I doubt we did," Éponine sighed.

"Did you know you aren't supposed to keep condoms in your wallet because the friction can wear down...?" Enjolras started.

"Yes I did know that, although in our case a worn down condom might have been better than nothing. Would this be a bad time to mention I have gonorrhea?" Éponine smiled sweetly.

Once again Enjolras chose to ignore her comment although she saw the sides of his mouth turn up slightly. "Nevertheless I was not really expecting the night to end that way and I don't generally keep condoms in my wallet. It might surprise you but I don't do this sort of thing often." He pulled out his wallet for emphasis. "See?" he said as he opened his wallet and turned it face down. A few bills and coins fell out, and then- a brightly wrapped condom.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed. "Grantaire or Courfeyrac must have put that in there, I had no idea I had that. I don't even know which compartment of my wallet that was in," he said in a rush as if trying to explain himself.

Éponine burst out laughing at the put-out look on his face. "We must be the worst one-night standers in the history of everything," she started to laugh harder.

Enjolras' tried to hold back his smile, but it was fruitless and soon he burst out laughing as well. They laughed until their sides hurt.

When they finished they sat in silence for a few moments until Enjolras spoke up, "Maybe a list isn't going to work. Maybe we are looking at this too clinically. What do you want to do Éponine? What do you think is the right thing to do?" he looked at her seriously, the laughter suddenly gone from his face.

Éponine thought back to her life. She thought to the time when her mother, drunk out of her mind, had told her that she was a mistake and she should have gotten rid of her when she had the chance. She thought of the horrible foster homes she had gone through after her parents had been arrested. But mostly she thought about the last few hours with Enjolras, how he let her cry into his shirt and then watch a movie she knew he despised so she would feel better, how he had made her breakfast. Enjolras with his causes and his rebellions and his color-coded charts. Mostly she thought about how much he had made her laugh when just the night before she had felt like all of the happiness had been leeched from her life.

"I think I want to keep it," she said.

She felt his hand interlocking with hers.

"Then we'll figure this out, together."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

For the first time she could remember she was truly nervous to enter the Café Musain. She had started working there her first week of college, after moving into her crappy apartment. It was where she first met Musichetta, and then from her all of the Amis, including Enjolras. It had become like her sanctuary, the first place where she was away from home and could truly be herself.

Yet now she stood in front of the building almost afraid to enter. She knew everyone would be in there and she somehow thought that they would know that she was pregnant just by looking at her.

Éponine had had to leave for class not long after her discussion with Enjolras. They had made her an appointment to see the doctor later in the week, and per Éponine's request they had decided not to share their news with anyone until the time was right, especially considering they hadn't really figured out their situation yet. Personally Éponine didn't know if the time would ever be right, and was seriously considering just waiting until she got so big that one of the Amis, most likely a drunk Grantaire, would cautiously ask her if she was pregnant. She imagined crying and saying that she had been stress eating with graduation around the corner. She smirked at the image of Grantaire apologizing profusely.

"Um, Éponine are you going to go in?" Éponine jumped at the voice and whirled around to see Combeferre standing behind her.

"Oh yeah sorry about that, I just didn't get much sleep last night, I was zoning out." Éponine could feel her face reddening already. Combeferre perked his eyebrows at her strange behavior, but simply shrugged and followed her into the café.

The overwhelming smell of coffee hit her head on when she walked in, and she suddenly felt a little dizzy. She must have stumbled a bit because Combeferre had gently taken her arm.

"Are you sure you're okay Éponine?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired, like I said. After this shift I'm going to go right back to bed, don't worry." She smiled at Combeferre and walked behind the counter confidently, making sure to keep herself steady. Combeferre seemed to look at her questioningly again, but after a moment walked towards the table in the back where most of the Amis where already gathered.

Éponine sighed as he turned away. She had only been in here a few moments and she had already made someone suspicious. She had been hoping to make it at least a few months before anyone found out. And now Combeferre and most likely the rest of the Amis would be keeping an eye on her. She watched as Combeferre whispered something to Enjolras. He looked up, as if startled to see her, and then waved hesitantly. She waved back, and Combeferre looked confused at the exchange. Éponine felt like smacking her head on the table. They were horrible at being covert.

She put her apron on and joined Musichetta behind the counter. "Are you okay Éponine? You look a little pale." Musichetta mused.

"I'm fine, don't worry," she replied, though the smell of the coffee was starting to make her a little nauseous. She had thrown up a few times the past few weeks and hoped it didn't become a regular occurrence. She needed this job, and she didn't know how she could do it well if she couldn't stand the smell of the very product she was supposed to be selling. Luckily it was a slow day and she was able to lean on the counter and breathe slowly until her nausea ebbed.

She suddenly had a horrible realization- she wouldn't be able to drink coffee for nine months. She was a monster in the morning without coffee, everyone knew to stay away from her until she had had at least one cup. She realized she hadn't had any with Enjolras at breakfast, maybe that's why she had snapped at the girl in her first class that had asked her for a pencil.

She suddenly began to think of all the things she wouldn't be able to do for nine months, she couldn't drink, she couldn't smoke (she actually hated smoking but she would like to have the option to if she so pleased), and there were definitely countless other things she couldn't do as well that she didn't know about. _Oh God_ she thought, _I don't know anything about being pregnant, what if I do one of those things today and mess this whole thing up?_ She was really starting to panic.

Musichetta looked at her worriedly, "Éponine are you sure that you're okay? Maybe you should sit down for a while?"

"No, I'm fine I promise." _Pull your shit together Éponine,_ she thought to herself. She straightened up and busied herself with the next costumer. She willed herself not to think pregnancy related thoughts until she and Enjolras could go back to his apartment after her shift and finish their discussion.

Éponine managed to get through two hours without having a panic attack and was congratulating herself with a chocolate éclair when she saw Enjolras approach the counter. He smirked at the éclair.

"Craving?" he mused, chuckling to himself.

She quickly glanced around and realized Musichetta was in the bathroom, they were alone.

"You little shit!" She hit him in the arm, hard, and his laughter turned into a pained wince. She smirked, feeling victorious.

"Seriously though, are you okay?" he asked looking a little worried. "Combeferre said you were looking a little unsteady earlier and he was thought you might be coming down with something."

She suddenly felt a little bad about how hard she had hit him. "I'm fine, the coffee smell just hit me really hard. My senses are going a little crazy at the moment."

He looked pensive, "Are you going to be okay working here?"

"I'll be fine, don't worry. We'll talk about it tonight," she quickly added as she saw Musichetta walking towards them on her way back from the bathroom.

Enjolras saw her coming too. "I'll have a hot chocolate," he stated as Musichetta rounded the corner of the counter.

Éponine raised her eyebrow. Enjolras always had the same thing- a coffee, black with two sugars. Musichetta looked at him curiously as well. "It's getting kind of late, I don't want to be up all night with the caffeine," he shrugged.

Éponine realized that he was trying to spare her from the coffee smell. It moved her so much that she felt tears coming to her eyes. _It must be the hormones_ she thought, mortified as she kept her head down while she made his drink_. Should the hormones even affect me this early? Is this like the placebo effect, am I just acting like I'm pregnant because I just found out I am?_ She finished his drink and handed it to him. He smiled widely at her and she had the sudden urge to kiss him. _Yep, must be the hormones_ she thought as he walked back to his table.

Suddenly there was a rush of air as the door opened and Marius rushed in, holding his beloved fiancés hand.

Éponine was started to realize that she hadn't thought of him all day, when he was usually the center of her thoughts. She supposed with everything going on she hadn't had much time for him.

"Hello Éponine, it's a beautiful evening isn't it," he gushed, Cosette grinning ear to ear by his side. _That's what you think, _she thought.

"I'll have a large coffee and _my fiancé_," he said the last part with a huge grin and a glance at Cosette, "Will have a medium vanilla latte."

Éponine felt like she was going to vomit, though if it was from all of the coffee she was going to have to make or the soon to be newlywed's behavior she couldn't tell. She quickly made their orders with the help of Musichetta and handed both drinks to Marius without comment. He seemed a little deflated by the fact that she hadn't greeted him with her usual zeal, but he quickly turned around and headed to the back of the café.

"Nice of you to finally join us Marius!" she heard Courfeyrac exclaim loudly. As she glanced towards the back of the room she caught Enjolras' eyes. He seemed to be trying to gauge her reaction to her encounter with Marius. She started to think about the interaction herself. She did not seem to have the butterflies in her stomach that usually accompanied any meeting with Marius. In fact if anything she was a little nauseous. If she really strained herself she could feel that pang of hurt that came with seeing Marius and Cosette. But the most prominent feeling was a tinge of annoyance that Marius had expected her to dote on him like a lost puppy. She was a little taken aback as she thought about her feelings. Perhaps life-changing pregnancies cancelled out unrequited crushes. She certainly hoped so.

She looked up at Enjolras and smiled. He smiled back.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was easy to sneak away with Enjolras after her shift. Most of the Amis had trickled out by then except Grantaire, who was snoring on one of the coaches in the back. She wondered if any of the patrons were ever confused to why there was always a loud drunk man in a café. It was probably bad for business, but the owner didn't check in much. Éponine was glad, she was too fond of Grantaire to kick him out and it was amusing how riled up he could get Enjolras. Sometimes he would get so mad that his face would turn red and no words would come out of his mouth. He would just gape at Grantaire like a fish until he stomped away. She knew this was the angriest Enjolras could get, when the words that came into his head were too cruel and biting to be used on his friends so he walked away so to not do something he would regret later. Part of her had been expecting him to react that way the night before.

"Do you think we should make Grantaire the godfather?" Éponine mused as they walked up the stairs to his apartment. Enjolras looked at her in horror but she only stroked her chin seriously, as if in deep thought.

"Éponine that's ridiculous," he sputtered. "Can you imagine? He would be drunk out of his mind all the time. Not to mention he would teach our child to play pranks on us. Maybe if he sobered up a little."

Éponine was surprised that he had taken her consideration to heart at all. She felt a warm feeling in her chest at his use of the words 'our child'.

"But no, I think it should be Combeferre. He is my best friend after all, and much more practical," Enjolras continued. "And maybe Musichetta could be the godmother?" He looked up at her as he began to unlock his apartment door.

Éponine was a little shocked. She had meant her first comment as a joke but he looked so sincere. She felt a few of the butterflies that had been lost when she interacted with Marius find there way to her stomach again. They were soon squelched by fear when she realized that this was a legitimate question, and suddenly all of her pregnancy related questions came back to her in a wave. Her stomach began to swell with panic as more and more questions popped into her mind.

"Éponine are you okay? You look a little pale. Are you going to be sick? Do you need to sit down?"

She realized they were now standing in his apartment and she looked at him in alarm. "I just..." she began. And then all her fears seemed to stream out of her mouth at once. "I just have no idea what I'm doing, I mean my only reference is my mom when she was pregnant and I'm pretty sure she didn't know what she was doing I mean she was smoked and drank when she was pregnant with my brothers and what do I eat? I'm such a horrible eater! I practically live on chocolate and what if I already screwed up the baby? And what does the baby even look like now? Is it like an alien? Does it have eyes yet? Shit, does it have ears because I swear all the time! Damn it, I just swore there. I mean darn it..."

Enjolras quickly cut her off. "Whoa, Éponine slow down." He looked a little worried but was also smiling, which annoyed her.

"What? These are legitimate concerns? I bet you don't have the answers. You have a stupid penis in place of a vagina," she spit at him, perhaps more angrily then she meant to.

"Hey, don't call my penis stupid. I take pride in the intelligence of all parts of my body, and as we are in this situation my penis is definitely not stupid– it has already fulfilled its evolutionary destiny." Éponine rolled her eyes at him.

"Nevertheless you are right, even with my highly intelligent penis I do not have all the answers which is why..."

He trailed off and walked into his bedroom. Éponine waited impatiently as she tapped her foot. She knew she was being immature, but maybe these were the last few months she would be able to act this way. She pouted her lip as well.

She heard some rustling as he walked out of his bedroom with a bag. "I picked up some books from the bookstore for us." He placed four books in her arms and put another six on his dining room table. Éponine caught the name _What to Expect When You're Expecting_ in her arms along with a book of baby names. She saw the words _The Expectant Father_ on one of the books on his table.

"I also started to do some research. Did you know it's more like ten months than nine? Probably not something that you want to hear but it does give us more time to prepare. I mean we need to get a lot of things, like a crib and something called a diaper genie. I'm not really sure what that is. I didn't get a chance yet to read what you should or shouldn't do while you are pregnant but now that I think about it maybe you shouldn't be holding heavy objects..."

He took the books out of her hands and placed them on the coffee table as she gaped at him, out of words.

"Maybe I should start carrying everything for you. I could walk you to class and carry your books for you, would that look too suspicious? Maybe we could synchronize our schedules next semester, like make sure that our classes are near each other and at the same time. I could probably pull a few strings, I am at the top of our class..."

He was cut off by Éponine suddenly throwing her arms around his waist. He was startled at first and stiffened but then began to return the embrace. He felt his shirt growing wet. "Éponine... are you crying?" he said hesitantly.

"Don't worry, they're happy tears. My hormones are going crazy right now. But just, thank you so much for being you."

"You're welcome," Enjolras muttered. He was a little lost for words. He noted once again that he liked the way she felt in him arms. Then he felt uncomfortable because he wasn't sure she felt the same way. He didn't know what to do, so he began to talk.

"Did you know that your hormones usually affect your mood around 6 to 10 weeks, and then again in the third trimester?" he stated as if he had memorized the book. Knowing him he probably had.

She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "Did you know you actually just answered one of my questions from earlier?" She smiled at him and he smiled back.

He reached up his hand and wiped away one of the tears that had started to dry on her cheek. His hand lingered and she looked up, getting lost in his blue eyes. She was suddenly overcome with fondness for him and his love of all kinds of research, even when he was researching pregnancy hormones instead of French rebellions.

She slowly lifted herself on her tiptoes and pressed her lips gently to his. He was surprised at first but then began to respond, gently as well. Éponine felt so content here in his arms with his warm lips on hers. She started to deepen the kiss, and he responded with equal fervor. She was soon running her hands through his hair and his hands had migrated from her back to her hips. She suddenly had a thought and pulled back from him.

She looked up at his face, his eyes clouded with desire, his lips a little swollen, and his hair in disarray. She felt so strongly towards him and yet... what if it was just the hormones? Today it was as if her feelings for Marius had suddenly disappeared but what if they returned tomorrow? She didn't want to ruin her friendship with Enjolras, not when they were about to take such a huge step together.

She reluctantly removed her hands from his hair and set her heels back on the ground.

"What was that for?" he asked, his voice a little husky.

"Just a thank you kiss, you know, for everything," she said hesitantly. They both knew that it had been more than that. He gazed at her as if he wanted to ask her something, but apparently thought better of it as he shook his head slightly.

"How about I make some dinner and you can start looking through those books?" He took his hands off her hips and she missed the warmth.

She sat on his couch and started rifling through one of her books. She looked at a picture of a woman holding a tiny baby. _So this is your life now?_ she mused.

After a few minutes she started to smell something delicious. It was Fettuccine Alfredo, her favorite. She wondered if he had gone out of his way to get the ingredients for her.

"Did you know that in your twelfth week of pregnancy the fetus will develop fingernails and toenails?" he called from the kitchen.

She smiled. _Maybe this life won't be so bad._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I just wanted to say thank you again to everyone who is reading this story. And thank you so much for your kind reviews, I really enjoy the feedback. Here's a nice long chapter for you!**

* * *

Chapter 6

She bounced her knee nervously as she glanced around the room. Everything was pink and blue and cheerful looking and it made her want to throw up. There were dozens of women with stomachs of various sizes sitting around impatiently waiting for their names to be called. Occasionally one of these women glanced over at her and Enjolras. She felt that most of the stares were being aimed at her left hand and its definite lack of a wedding ring. She was by far the youngest one here. She knew she looked younger than she was as well, she could probably pass for 17 or 18. To all these women she looked like an unwed teenage mother, destined to spend their tax money collecting welfare checks.

She felt a warm hand on her bouncing knee and looked up at Enjolras. He looked down at her "It's going to be fine Éponine," he said calmly.

"That's easy for you to say, you don't have a parasite growing inside of you," Éponine whispered.

He gave her one of his patented judgmental looks, usually saved for Marius or Grantaire. She didn't like how it felt to be on the receiving end of one of them. "Okay fine, I don't really think it's a parasite," she corrected. "I'm just really stressed out and I feel like all of these women are judging me."

He glanced around the room. "I'm sure they are just jealous of how attractive we are," he winked at her. She knew he was joking, but that was probably partially true. Enjolras attracted hungry looks from women of all ages wherever he went. Their friends thought it was hilarious but Enjolras never seemed to notice the attention. She wondered if he ever would.

She looked up at him she was surprised to find that he only seemed to have eyes for her. He was looking at her so fondly and with such emotion that she didn't really know what to make of it. Was he just looking at her like that because she was carrying his child, or did he really have feelings for her? The hand on her knee moved to her lap where he clasped her hand.

"You two make such a beautiful couple," a kind voice said to her right. She glanced over at a nice looking woman in her mid-forties with a small bump in her stomach. She seemed to be there by herself. She smiled a little at the woman's belief that she and Enjolras were a couple, and didn't bother to correct her.

"How far along are you?" the woman continued.

"Um..." Éponine stuttered. She hadn't really talked to anyone about her pregnancy besides Enjolras. Talking about it to a stranger made it seem more real. "About 6 or 7 weeks I think."

"This is your first I'm guessing?"

Éponine nodded.

"Well enjoy it while it lasts, there is nothing quite so beautiful as bringing new life into the world!" The women beamed at her.

Éponine thought it might be a little more beautiful if she didn't have to push the new life out of her vagina, but the women was being so nice to her.

"Thank you, and I will be sure to enjoy it," she said with more confidence then she felt.

"Éponine Thenardier," a tired voice called out.

"That's me," Éponine said to the woman politely. She stood up with Enjolras, their hands still intertwined.

"Good luck!" the woman said sweetly. She then turned her suddenly hardened gaze on Enjolras. She was now wearing a scowl that Éponine did not think capable of her minutes before. "And you, you take good care of her you hear me? Don't screw this up," she said menacingly.

Enjolras looked taken aback. "I... I won't I promise," he stuttered. Éponine fought the urge to giggle. She had never seen him this way in front of a stranger before. She tugged on his hand to pull him forward to the nurse waiting impatiently with the clipboard. She turned back to smile one last time at the woman and saw that her gaze was following them out of the room.

"She was really scary, I mean what did I ever do to her?" Enjolras said as they waited the doctor to come for the ultrasound. The nurse had already given Éponine an awkward checkup of her downtown area. She had had to put her feet in the stirrups. Enjolras had kept his eyes on the ceiling the entire time, even though he had obviously already seen everything. It had been kind of adorable in Éponine's opinion.

"She was just being protective of me," she smirked to herself. "You should probably get used to it. Once the Amis find out you are probably going to get it much worse from them. "

Enjolras's eyes filled with horror. "Oh god, Bahorel is going to punch me. I really like my nose the shape it is right now."

Éponine knew he was right; Bahorel was very quick with his fists and had always been extremely protective over Éponine. He had been the one to beat up Montparnasse so badly at her 20th birthday party that he had never set foot near her again. Good riddance.

"Don't worry, I'll tell him to lay off the nose. I'm not promising anything about your groinal area though."

Enjolras looked terrified. "You would dare injure my highly intelligent penis? And is groinal even a word?"

"Hey, your highly intelligent penis is the reason I had to put my legs in stirrups earlier." Enjolras looked embarrassed just thinking about it. "So you better be nice to me, you may think you are the leader of your group but I can sick Bahorel on you at any moment."

Enjolras knew she was right and sighed as he admitted defeat. He would have to have a talk about loyalty with his friends later.

Éponine was bored, and cold in the stupid hospital gown they had made her put on. She glanced over at the clipboard on which Enjolras had started putting his personal information and immediately burst out laughing.

"What is it?" He raised his head startled, hugging the clipboard to his chest.

"Sebastian Emmanuel Enjolras?" she burst out. His face instantly paled and then turned an astonishingly bright shade of red. The change in color only made her laugh harder.

"It's not that funny..." he whined, sounding like a 5 year old, which did nothing except cause Éponine to almost fall off the exam table in laughter.

Enjolras could do nothing but pout as Éponine laughed for a good three minutes. After she had calmed down a little she spoke up "You know that's really not even that bad. I always imagined your first name was like Beyoncé or Optimus Prime the way you kept it so secretive."

Enjolras crossed his arms and refused to meet her eyes.

"Oh come on, I've been waiting years to find out your first name, I think I deserve to know it now that you have impregnated me." He continued to ignore her.

"Okay now I'm going to tell Bahorel to aim for the nose. You know I really don't understand why you kept this such a secret. I actually really like your name. Sebastian Enjolras, It kind of suits you."

"Sebastian is a fine name, it's just that stupid movie with that stupid crab," he finally spoke, still sounding remarkably like a toddler.

"What movie?" Éponine looked confused. "You mean _The Little Mermaid_?" She started giggling again. "You're ashamed of your name because of a Disney movie? The man who once started a riot at which the police had to throw tear gas is embarrassed because of a talking crab?"

"That was an accident. How was I supposed to know it would get so out of control? And little kids are mean, okay. I was practically tortured in school for it. Just please, never divulge this information to any of our friends."

"Fine, as long as I can call you Sebastian when we are alone. I will reclaim the name from those mean little kids and that stupid crab."

Enjolras looked like he was in actual physical pain. "Deal," he muttered. Though secretly he kind of liked the way his name sounded coming out of her lips.

She smiled at him, dimples and all and he couldn't help but smile back. _God what have I gotten myself into_, he thought to himself.

The doctor chose this moment to finally appear. She was in her mid-fifties with short blonde hair and a kind smile. "Sorry about the wait. I had a bit of an emergency with another patient, but it's nothing to worry about. I'm Dr. Moore. And you are Éponine?" Éponine nodded her head and stood up to shake the doctor's hand.

She looked down at the chart in her hands, "So, Éponine, it says here you took a home pregnancy test and it came out positive?" Éponine nodded again. "Well our tests seemed to indicate the same result. You are in fact pregnant."

Éponine shared a look with Enjolras and smiled. She found that the overwhelming fear she had recently come to associate with the word 'pregnant' had lessened a bit.

"I'm assuming since you are here that you have decided to carry this pregnancy to term. Is that correct?"

"Yes," Éponine replied, trying to sound confident. Being here and talking to the doctor suddenly made everything seem real. Enjolras smiled at her.

"And you are the father, I am guessing?" She nodded to Enjolras as he stood to shake her hand as well.

"Yes, this is Sebastian," Éponine said with glee, a huge smile on her face.

"Hello, Sebastian, nice to meet you," Dr. Moore said politely.

It was only Enjolras' well-bred manners and sense of courtesy that kept him from glaring at Éponine. Yet she saw the muscle in his cheek twitch in annoyance.

His smile looked quite forced to her as he greeted the doctor politely.

"So, Éponine, all our tests came back normal and everything seems to be in working order. Before I begin is there anything else we need to know about your family history? Particularly any birth defects or perhaps a history of multiple births?"

Enjolras suddenly perked up, "I have a history of twins in my family."

"What?" Éponine sputtered rather loudly. She did not have Enjolras' well-bred manners.

"Oh yes didn't I tell you?" Enjolras said rather gleefully. "Yes there's the two pairs of cousins and then a pair of my uncles. And my sister actually had triplets last year, I think I told you about that," he knew he shouldn't be getting so much pleasure out of the look on her face but she had been the one to play dirty with his name.

"Well that is good to know, I'll just make a note of that." Dr. Moore began scribbling down on her chart.

Enjolras smirked at Éponine, who looked like she was torn between ripping his head off or letting the doctor see that she was a sane, responsible adult. She chose the former.

"What the actual _fuck_ Enjolras," she spit out. She looked like she was about to breathe fire. Enjolras was a bit taken aback. He was not expecting her to make this much commotion in front of a stranger, and one that was her doctor no less.

Her doctor snapped her head up, but didn't look all that surprised at Éponine's outburst. He guessed she had seen a lot in her profession.

"Oh look at that, I need to get some more gel for the ultrasound. I'll be back in about five minutes." She gave Enjolras a pointed look as she left. He returned her look with one that said quite plainly _do not leave me alone with her_ but Dr. Moore just gave him a sort of apologetic smile and walked out.

Éponine was glaring at him so intently he was surprised lasers weren't shooting out of her eyes.

"Are you _serious _Enjolras? Twins?"

"Well yes," he started rather sheepishly. He was actually starting to worry a little for his own wellbeing. "I didn't lie to the doctor Éponine."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" she said in a low growl not unlike that of a rabid dog.

"Before what? Before I accidently impregnated you? We didn't even use a condom Éponine, we weren't exactly discussing our family histories."

This time he actually patted down his chest to ensure her glare hadn't had any lasting damage. He started to understand how she had reduced Joly to tears after he had broken the sink in her bathroom. He had never seen anyone so livid before. Her entire face had turned an angry red and she looked like she was about to pounce.

He gulped. "Éponine, maybe you should calm down, that can't be good for the baby."

This had been the wrong thing to say, he realized a second too late. She stood up, and though she was a good 6 inches shorter than him he found himself actually cowering in her presence.

"Uhh, I'm sorry," he said. He couldn't believe he was apologizing for something he had absolutely no control over. "I have plenty of cousins that aren't twins, and that triplets thing was probably just a fluke."

She seemed to calm down a little but continued standing. "Okay, I forgive you." Once again Enjolras wondered why he had to be forgiven for his family's actions, but wisely kept his mouth shut. "But I swear to god Sebastian Emmanuel Enjolras, if I end up having twins because of your mutant sperm, _you will regret it_." She said those last words in a whisper and he felt himself shiver involuntarily. He didn't even want to think what she was capable of. "And if I have triplets," she looked him straight in the eye, "You don't even want to know what will happen to you if I have triplets." He stared at her. He was legitimately glad that he had gone to the bathroom in the waiting room.

This is when the doctor decided to reenter the room carrying what was surely an extra bottle of gel that they didn't really need. She looked over at them, Éponine staring down at Enjolras while he cowered in his uncomfortable plastic hospital chair.

"Is everything okay here?"

"Yes, thank you everything is _perfect_." Éponine said in a falsely sweet voice as she sat down once again on the exam table.

Enjolras forced himself to straighten up and gave the doctor a weak smile. He could have sworn he saw the corners of her mouth curl up in amusement.

"Okay, well if you could please lay down." Éponine complied and the doctor moved the ultrasound machine a little closer to the table.

"Sebastian, you might want to come a little closer if you want to see," Dr. Moore said as she began to fiddle with the machine. Enjolras reluctantly scooted closer as Éponine watched him closely and raised an eyebrow, as if to say _you had better watch yourself._

"This might be a little cold," the doctor stated as she spurted some of the gel onto Éponine's now exposed stomach. Éponine squirmed a little in discomfort and Enjolras found himself grasping her hand. He looked at her face as if worried she would snap at him. He was surprised to find that she actually looked a bit scared rather than angry. He gripped her hand and she gripped it back, realizing this was bigger than their petty disagreements. The doctor was now moving a device over Éponine's stomach as if she were searching for something. After a few moments she seemed to find what she was looking for.

She turned the monitor towards them. "This right here," she pointed to the blob in the middle of the screen, "is the fetus."

"Fetus singular right? As in not plural, not twins?" Enjolras clarified as Éponine gripped his hand so tightly he thought he might be losing circulation.

"Yes, you seem to be about seven weeks along and there is only one baby from what I see."

Enjolras breathed a sigh of relief as Éponine's grip on his hand loosened. He felt like he had dodged a bullet.

"That would put your due date at May 14th," Dr. Moore calculated.

That would be right around graduation. Enjolras hoped she would make it to finals and be able to receive her diploma with the rest of the class. Éponine seemed to be thinking around the same lines. "Oh God I am going to be huge at graduation," she mumbled. Enjolras squeezed her hand in reassurance. _She will walk across that stage if it's the last thing I do_.

Enjolras turned his head towards the ultrasound. He squinted his eyes at the screen; it sort of looked like an amoeba. He glanced at Éponine and she seemed to be having the same thoughts as she cocked her head to the side. "I know it's a little hard to see at the moment," said Dr. Moore as she took measurements. "Would you like to hear the heartbeat? See that flickering on the screen? That is the heart beating," she said as she began to fiddle with the machine.

Enjolras could indeed see a tiny flickering within the middle of the blob. _It's alive_ he thought to himself. It seemed to hit him all at once. It really was alive, he and Éponine had created a tiny human being with only champagne, two glasses of wine, half a bottle of vodka, and repressed sexual feelings.

A fast sort of whooshing noise suddenly filled the room. "And that is the sound of the heart beating," Dr. Moore said.

He suddenly felt Éponine's grasp on his hand tighten, this seemed to be becoming real to her as well.

"Is it normal that the heart is beating so fast?" Éponine asked, worry lacing her voice.

"Yes, fetuses have faster heart rates than ours. Your baby's heartbeat seems to be very strong."

He gazed up at her face as she looked at the screen and listened to the fast heartbeat. Everyone had always complimented him on his blue eyes but he thought there was definitely something to be said about her big brown orbs. They always seemed filled with wonder even through all they had seen. He hoped the baby had her eyes. She made eye contact with him and smiled. He hoped the baby had her smile as well, and especially her dimples.

"Would you like a picture?" Dr. Moore asked.

Éponine nodded. She seemed to be beyond regular speech. Enjolras felt a little speechless himself, an issue he didn't usually have.

"Um," he started, his voice slightly scratchy. "Do you think you could print two?"

"Of course," Dr. Moore responded kindly. Éponine smiled at him.

Dr. Moore handed each of them a picture as she shut off the machine. The room seemed empty without the sound of the baby's heartbeat.

"Well everything appears to be moving right on schedule. The baby seems healthy and its heartbeat seems strong. You will need to schedule another appointment for..."

Enjolras stopped listening as the doctor went into logistics about what Éponine should do to keep the baby healthy. He would have to read up on everything later in the books he had purchased. He usually had impeccable attention but right now all he could seem to focus on was the picture in his hand. He couldn't believe that in a few months that blob would become a human-shaped person. Their human-shaped person.

Soon it was time to leave. Dr. Moore told them that she would be seeing them at the next appointment as she left the room. Éponine finished wiping the gel from her stomach and started to put her regular clothes back on. Enjolras thought about how their blob with its fast heartbeat was living inside her at this moment. He busied himself with folding up his picture and putting it in his wallet.

"It's pretty amazing isn't it?" she said once she was fully clothed. She picked her ultrasound picture back up.

Enjolras walked over and put his arm around her shoulder. "Yeah, it is," he replied as Éponine laid her head against his chest.

_You're pretty amazing too_, he thought to himself.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

She woke up in a huge and incredibly soft bed. _Wait_, she thought_, this can't be right_. Her bed was lumpy and hard, one of the cheapest she could find. She sat up, confused.

As she saw the maps and newspapers tacked all over the walls she realized where she was. She recalled falling asleep on Enjolras coach last night while studying. He must have moved her to his bed. This had become a regular occurrence lately. It had been about three weeks since her last ultrasound and she was now ten weeks along. She had been spending a lot of time at his place lately, planning for the baby. She had known Enjolras liked to be organized, but once she saw it in action she was a bit overwhelmed. She swore she had seen applications for a preschool on his desk the other day. The baby was not even baby shaped yet and he was already thinking about preschool. They still called it "The Blob" regularly in conversation. The Amis seemed to be under the impression that they were both obsessed with an old black and white horror movie.

It was sweet of him to give her his bed, but it meant he kept sleeping on his couch. In truth she would rather share the bed with him but she knew until they figured out whatever was going on with _them_ he would feel uncomfortable. They regularly held hands and looked to each other for comfort, but they hadn't kissed since that night a few weeks ago. It was probably better this way anyway. With all of her hormones she would probably jump him if they slept in the same bed, and then everything might get messed up. She had barely seen Marius in weeks and she couldn't help but think her feelings might come rushing back the next time they talked. Yet at the same time she had shared more with Enjolras in these past few weeks than she had with Marius in years. And Enjolras had shown himself to be much more responsible and caring than Marius had ever been.

She was confused, so she started to think about a problem she could solve, this bed situation. She hated putting him out like this, it felt like charity to her, and there was nothing she hated more than being a charity case. She wanted to yell at him but she knew it was the hormones. "Don't yell at him for doing something nice," she muttered to herself over and over again. Unfortunately this was the moment Enjolras chose to make his grand entrance into his own bedroom.

"Good you're awake, I made breakfast. Class starts soon so I was coming to wake you up anyway," he said cheerfully.

She opened her mouth to yell at him about moving her to the bed when the smell of breakfast hit her nose and her stomach began to turn. Her hand flew to her mouth as she jumped out of bed.

Enjolras looked alarmed, "Éponine?" he started as she sprinted to the bathroom.

She made it just in time to deposit her dinner from last night into the toilet. As she gagged she felt someone pull back her hair and a warm hand rub her back.

After a few minutes she removed her head from the porcelain bowl and leaned back into Enjolras. He handed her a glass of water.

"Are you okay?" he asked his tone tinged with worry as he pushed some of her hair back from her now slightly sweaty face.

She swirled some of the water around her mouth and then spit it back out into the toilet.

"Yeah I might just sit here for a minute longer though," she replied weakly. He started to stroke her hair. It felt so good that she felt herself being lulled back to sleep.

Up until this point she had gotten lucky with the morning sickness. Sure she had thrown up a few times, but not in weeks. And right now the nausea wasn't ebbing like it usually did after she threw up.

Éponine felt strong arms pick her up and before she knew it she was back in the warm, fluffy bed. She wanted to protest being in his bed and putting him out yet again, but felt that opening her mouth might be a bad idea. Enjolras' warmth disappeared from her side for a few moments and he returned with a bucket.

He sat on the edge of the bed. "No morning classes for you I think," he muttered. "Are you okay? Should I call Dr. Moore?" She shook her head. "Are you sure?" She nodded. He carefully pushed a lock of hair out of her face. She caught his wrist weakly as he moved to stand back up and started to tug him down. She could see he wanted to protest but she looked so sick that he couldn't refuse. She smiled in victory that she had gotten him to share his bed as he lay beside her and put his arm around her. She felt a little better and soon drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Enjolras woke to the sound of frantic knocking at his door. He looked down at Éponine who was still sleeping soundly and got out of the bed as noiselessly as he could.

As he walked to the door he tried to wipe the sleep from his eyes. He couldn't even remember falling asleep. It had just been so comfortable, with her in his arms.

He opened the door to a panicking Combeferre. "Oh thank God," he practically shouted. "I thought you were dead or something." He put a hand to Enjolras' forehead. "You seem okay."

Enjolras was incredibly confused. He batted Combeferre's hand away. "What is going on?" he asked his best friend.

"One of your professors stopped me in the quad and mentioned you had missed class. I don't think you have ever missed a class, even in grade school. So I talked to some of your classmates, and they couldn't remember seeing you either. I thought you must be dead in your room or lying in a ditch somewhere, but it looks like you just overslept like a normal college student. Maybe you are man and not god after all, Grantaire will be so disappointed," Combeferre joked.

Enjolras rolled his eyes at Combeferre's antics but started when he noticed the clock on the wall, it was 1 pm. He had meant to skip his classes but he had also meant to email his and Éponine's professors explaining the situation, or part of the truth at least. When Éponine had pulled him down to the bed he had forgotten his responsibilities. He supposed he would have to handle this situation now. He sat down on his couch and pulled his laptop towards him, opening up his email. His thoughts moved back to Éponine. He didn't want to wake her up but he also wanted to make sure that the nausea had gone away. Maybe Combeferre's shouting had already woken her up. He knew that morning sickness did not only present during the morning but her feeling sick for such a length of time worried him. Maybe he should call Dr. Moore.

"Enjolras?" he had almost forgotten that Combeferre was there. "Is that Éponine's bag?" He pointed to the black over-the-shoulder bag that was very recognizable due to the large number of colorful buttons pinned to the front advertising different causes.

Enjolras knew he would have to fess up to at least part of the truth. "The thing is... Éponine fell asleep on my couch last night doing work and when she woke up this morning she felt sick and threw up in my bathroom. I let her take my bed and decided to skip my classes to look after her. But then I must have fallen asleep on the couch and forgot to email my professors. So that's what I am doing now."

"Is she okay now? Maybe we should have Joly come take a look at her."

"No that's alright. I'm sure she'll be fine," he tried to say confidently but internally he was actually worried. If only Éponine weren't so stubborn then it wouldn't be a bad idea for Joly to come look at her. But what good could the medical student do anyway if they couldn't actually tell him why Eponine was so nauseous?

"Um... Enjolras what is this?" Combeferre asked in an amused voice as he spotted the book of baby names on his desk and reached for it. Enjolras opened his mouth to protest but Combeferre already had his hands upon the book and he knew it was no use. That particular book he could explain away as a joke, but the one underneath it, not so much.

Combeferre picked up the second book and laughed. "_What to Expect When You're Expecting_? Is there something you want to tell me Enjolras?" he chuckled. Then he spotted Éponine's bag on the ground and his face became serious as he put the pieces together. He looked at Enjolras' closed bedroom door.

"Éponine is...?"

"Yes."

"And you are the..."

"Uh huh."

"Oh..." Combeferre sat down. He was having a hard time processing the simple fact that his friend had had sex in the first place let alone gotten a girl pregnant.

"When...?"

"Marius' engagement party. Or rather, after the party."

Combeferre seemed to accept this as explanation enough for now. He had a sudden realization. "Wait, that was months ago. How long have you known about this?"

"She told me a month ago. She's at about 10 weeks right now."

Combeferre looked a little hurt by the fact that Enjolras hadn't come to him with the news sooner. Enjolras was quick to explain, "She wanted to wait to tell anyone until the right time. Although I'm not particularly sure when that is. She is going to start to show around 12 weeks so I assume it will be soon. If you could keep this to yourself until then, I'm sure Éponine would appreciate it."

"Of course, whatever you two want." Combeferre sighed and leaned back into the couch. This was a lot of information for him to take in.

"I'm assuming that you two are keeping the baby? What is the state of your relationship? Are you dating?" Combeferre inquired.

Enjolras was quiet for a moment. "Honestly, I would love to know the answer to that myself. I know that I like her. I've always liked her as a friend, but these past few weeks..." he trailed off as if unsure where he was going. "I just really like spending time with her," he finished. He looked down, blushing slightly.

Combeferre smiled to himself. From Enjolras' mouth that was practically a declaration of love. He had always thought that his friend had feelings for Éponine but was too oblivious to notice them. He didn't like to deviate from his cause, but maybe he would make an exception to the mother of his child.

"Maybe you should talk to Éponine about this?" Combeferre said cautiously. He was worried that Enjolras might clam up if they talked about his feelings for too long.

"It's just... sometimes I feel like we're reaching a certain point and then she pulls back. I think she might still have feelings for Marius." He looked at Combeferre as if he had the answer.

Unfortunately, for once the philosophy student did not know what advice to give his friend. His fears may well be proven correct. Everyone knew of Éponine's feelings for Marius, except for Marius himself of course. Besides it was hard to formulate good advice when the words 'Enjolras actually had sex' kept running through his mind on a loop. He changed the subject.

"So is Éponine really sick or is it...?"

"I think it's morning sickness, but she's been asleep for so long that I'm a little worried about her. Do you think I should wake her up and make sure she's okay?"

Éponine chose that moment to make her grand entrance. "Enjolras?," came a weak voice as the door to his bedroom opened. "I think I feel better now," Éponine tried to smile at Enjolras, although it was obvious that she was not feeling her best.

She startled a little when she realized that Enjolras was not alone. Éponine had heard Enjolras' muffled voice through the door but she had assumed he was on the phone or reciting a speech.

She struggled to come up with a believable cover story, "Oh, hi Combeferre. I know this looks weird, me coming out of Enjolras' bedroom and all but..." she trailed off as her gaze flicked down to the book that was still clutched in Combeferre's hands. Her eyes went wide.

Enjolras followed her gaze. He sighed. "He knows. I'm sorry but I had to tell him. We probably should have thought of the possibility of someone stopping by the apartment."

"Um... congratulations?" Combeferre said weakly.

"Thanks," Éponine replied softly. She sat down between Combeferre and Enjolras on the couch. "It's alright. I'll probably have to tell everyone soon anyway. I can feel my body changing and it probably won't be long before everyone else notices too," she stated somewhat dejectedly.

"Yes, Grantaire had mentioned that he thought your breasts were getting larger," Combeferre said, almost as an afterthought. As soon as he said it his eyes grew wide. He looked over at Éponine, who had started to shoot daggers at him with her eyes, and Enjolras, who was open mouthed in shock.

"I am so sorry," Combeferre said sincerely. "I don't know why I just said that. I think I'm still in shock that Enjolras had sex."

To his surprise Éponine started giggling. "He does seem rather virginal doesn't he?"

"Hey," said Enjolras indignantly. "I am not virginal!"

"You kind of are my friend," said Combeferre, who had started to giggle as well.

"Did you forget about the comment he just made Éponine?"

Combeferre glared at him but Enjolras just shrugged.

"Don't worry, I will punish Grantaire for that comment later," Éponine said with a glint in her eyes. She looked down at her chest, "But you know what? My breasts have actually gotten bigger. I had to buy two new bras the other day."

Enjolras couldn't help but look at her chest as well. Her shirt definitely seemed a little more filled out than usual. He felt his face growing hot.

Éponine noticed where his gaze was aimed. "Hey!" she protested, hitting him in the arm. "My eyes are up here." Secretly she kind of liked that he was looking. She wondered if she would have reacted a little differently if his best friend wasn't sitting right next to her.

"Sorry," Enjolras mumbled. He looked down as his face reddened. When he looked back up he noticed Éponine didn't look very upset. In fact she was looking at him rather intently.

Combeferre noted the exchange with amusement. Maybe his friend wasn't as oblivious to the female sex as he had previously thought. However he did feel a little awkward as he saw the rather heated look Enjolras and Éponine were now exchanging. He started to stand up to excuse himself, or maybe sneak out of the apartment unnoticed. However, Enjolras noticed the movement and looked up, sort of shaking his head as he did so. He looked a little surprised to see Combeferre, as if he had forgotten where he was. This seemed to be becoming a regular occurrence.

There was an awkward silence in the air. "Um... Do you want to see a picture?" Enjolras asked hesitantly.

All Combeferre really wanted was to escape the room as soon as possible, but he was curious. "Yes of course," he replied. Enjolras took out his wallet and pulled out a small picture. He unfolded it and handed it to Combeferre.

Éponine felt her eyes getting teary as she realized he had been carrying the image around in his wallet for weeks. _Damn hormones_ she thought. Although she wasn't really sure that it was the hormones this time.

Combeferre squinted his eyes and cocked his head.

"It doesn't look like much now I know, Éponine and I have been referring to it as 'The Blob'. But you could actually see the heartbeat on the screen and we could hear it too," Enjolras said with an enthusiastic tone to his voice.

Combeferre felt his throat getting a little tight as he looked at 'The Blob'. He hadn't heard his friend sound this excited about something unrelated to freedom or rallies in a long time. He cleared his throat, "Oh is that what I overheard you and Éponine talking about the other day? I thought you were referring to a movie," he chuckled slightly as he continued to look at the picture.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments. "Um, Combeferre," Éponine asked hesitantly. "Enjolras and I were talking the other day and um, do you think you might want to be the godfather?" She smiled at him.

"Really?" he answered with surprise. He felt tears stinging his eyes. He looked at Enjolras who nodded his assent.

"Éponine actually suggested Grantaire first, which I thought was ridiculous but..." Enjolras was cut off by Combeferre throwing his arms around him.

"I would be honored," he answered in a thick voice.

Enjolras looked a little shocked at first but soon returned his friends embrace. They stayed that way for a few moments and then awkwardly patted each other's backs (in what Éponine was sure they thought was a manly way) and pulled apart. They both pretended not to notice the other wiping their eyes with their hands.

"I guess I should..."

"I should write those emails..."

"I have class soon..."

"Yeah"

"Uh-huh"

Combeferre handed the photo back to Enjolras and left with his head down.

Éponine watched them with amusement. _Boys are so stupid_, she thought to herself.

Combeferre stopped at the door and turned around. "Really though, congratulations. I'm really happy for you two." He smiled at them sincerely. "It's nice to know that Courfeyrac was wrong. Enjolras does not in fact have the anatomy of a Ken doll."

Combeferre ducked as a pillow was thrown at his head with impressive force and quickly darted into the hallway, closing the door behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Éponine flushed the toilet and leaned against her wall in the bathroom. She had spent the night at her own apartment for once. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. After all she was still paying for it so she should sleep here at least once a week.

But now as she wiped off her mouth with a towel she realized she missed Enjolras. He would always hold back her hair or whisper comforting things in her ear as she retched. He would make her toast too, the only thing she seemed able to keep down nowadays.

She stood up and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked horrible. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked thinner than she had when she wasn't pregnant. She knew Enjolras was worried about her. She was actually a little worried too, although she wouldn't admit that to him. He had protested her decision to not stay at his apartment for the night but she had insisted.

She started to brush her teeth as she thought about the night before. She really wasn't sure why she had been so adamant; it had probably been her hormones going crazy again. He had been sleeping on the couch for days and she had felt guilty. She remembered yelling something about feminism and how she had the right to sleep in her own bed, which didn't even make sense. She was pretty sure she also called him a fascist dictator. She realized she should probably call and apologize.

She spit into the sink and looked in the mirror again. She wished she looked a little more pregnant. It had started to feel like she had made the whole thing up. She was now 12 weeks along and knew she should be showing soon. She could feel the changes in her own body but she didn't think they were visible to other people yet. She lifted up her shirt and felt her stomach. To her surprise there was a definite bump that she could have sworn had not been there last night. Maybe she had been too busy yelling at Enjolras to notice. She turned sideways. It was definitely visible, although it mostly just looked like she had eaten a really big lunch at this point.

She smiled. She couldn't wait to show Enjolras. She wished once again that she had listened to him last night so that he would be there with her.

Suddenly her phone rang and Enjolras' picture flashed across the screen. She smiled and picked it up.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hi, this is your friendly neighborhood fascist dictator. I was just wondering how you were feeling this morning," he said cheerfully.

Éponine winced. "I'm sorry about last night, I don't really know what came over me."

"It's okay, I can honestly say no one has ever compared me to Joseph Stalin before. Did you mean personality-wise or in appearance? Because I don't think I could pull off that mustache. And just for future reference, Stalin was a communist, not a fascist. I believe you were thinking of Mussolini."

Éponine sighed, only Enjolras would analyze how historically accurate her ridiculous hormone driven insults were. "I'm sorry that I'm not a history nerd like you. If it makes you feel any better I really do wish I had stayed at your apartment last night."

"Why, were you sick again this morning? Do you feel alright now? Do you want me to bring you some toast?" Enjolras sounded worried.

"I was sick but I'm okay now. And don't worry about me, classes start soon. I'll probably just eat a granola bar or something for now. I'll grab something else on campus," Éponine said cheerfully, trying to appease his worry. She thought about mentioning her baby bump but decided she'd rather show him in person.

"Okay," Enjolras said, although he didn't sound very convinced. "Just make sure you drink plenty of water, and take your vitamins too."

"Yes, mother," Éponine replied. "Seriously, don't worry. I've got it covered. I have to go get ready for class but I'll see you later at the Musain, alright?"

"Alright... but call me if you feel sick or if you need me to bring you some food."

"I promise okay? Now get moving, your apartment is farther from campus than mine and you're going to be late if you don't leave soon. I was planning on bragging to everyone in a few months that my baby daddy graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Don't screw this up for me."

She could practically hear his smile over the phone. "Okay I'll get going. Seriously though, eat that granola bar. Maybe some fruit as well, if you have anything. You know I have fruit at my apartment..."

"Goodbye Enjolras," she said quickly, as she hung up the phone. She knew he could go on for hours if he wanted to.

She got ready for class, making sure to wear a loose fitting shirt to hide her practically non-existent bump. She knew she would have to go maternity shopping soon. Maybe she should tell Musichetta about her situation so she could accompany her. Although the idea of making Enjolras go shopping with her was pretty enticing. She wondered if he had ever even set foot in a mall. She chuckled to herself as she grabbed a granola bar on the way out of her apartment.

A few hours later she found herself walking into the Musain to start her shift. Her day had gone pretty well so far. She had managed not to snap at anyone, which was a pretty big accomplishment for her recently. She hadn't felt sick once all day as well. At one point she had seen Combeferre on campus and he had shoved an apple and two bananas into her hands before running away. She guessed Enjolras had forced him to join the 'Feed Éponine' brigade.

She greeted Grantaire cheerfully as she entered the café. He looked at her in fear and scampered off. This had been a common reaction from many of the Amis lately. She was already legendary for her mood swings and the pregnancy hormones were certainly not helping. Grantaire, unfortunately for him, had received the worst of it.

She had needed to repay him for his breast comment, but even she admitted she might have gone a little far. She had posted a video to YouTube of him performing a tap-dance when he was 11 at what was essentially the male equivalent of a beauty pageant. She had found it online just by googling Grantaire's name but she was pretty sure no one else knew it existed. She had made the link private but sent it to Grantaire with the promise that she had the power to make it public. It took a lot to embarrass Grantaire, but even he was ashamed of his pageant days. The worst part was that he didn't even seem to know what he had done to make her so mad. She hadn't wanted to point out her growing breast size so she had only told him, rather menacingly, _you know what you did._ Grantaire was now afraid to make eye contact with her and many of the others were frightened of her by association. They couldn't even imagine what she had done to have that effect on Grantaire.

Enjolras thought it was hilarious and had now taken to tapping his foot quite often in Grantaire's presence, just to see him squirm. He was the only one she had shared the video with. She thought it was only fair considering Grantaire had once managed to steal all of Enjolras' clothes except for his boxers. They had been at Joly and Musichetta's apartment and he had stolen one article of clothing at a time and then refused to return them until three hours later. Even then he had only returned his clothes one by one. She still wondered how he had managed to con Enjolras out of his trousers. Maybe she could use her new power over Grantaire to find out.

The memory of Enjolras chasing Grantaire around screaming "Seriously Grantaire, where the fuck did you hide my pants?" got her through making dozens of coffee drinks. She chuckled to herself for the fourth time that hour when suddenly Enjolras himself was standing in front of her.

"Hey," she said, smiling. "What can I get you?"

"Um..." He sounded conflicted. She noticed he looked exhausted. He probably wanted real coffee but didn't want to force her to make it for him. She wondered if he had been up late worrying about her or their fight, but she quickly banished the thought from her mind as ridiculous.

"I'll have a coffee, black with two sugars. But, umm, Musichetta do you think you could make it for me? No offense to Éponine, but you make it so much better."

Musichetta looked confused but complied anyway. Éponine winced at his excuse. There really was no possible way to screw up black coffee. You literally just poured it into the cup.

"By the way Éponine, here's that orange you asked me to bring you," he held out the piece of fruit with a pointed look. She glared at him icily as she begrudgingly accepted the orange.

"Thank you so much Enjolras you are so thoughtful," she said through gritted teeth. Musichetta really looked perplexed now as she handed him his coffee. "You are welcome Éponine. You should really eat that now; your body can never have too many nutrients if you know what I mean. And thank you for the coffee Musichetta." He handed her a few coins and walked away.

"What was that about?" Musichetta asked. "Nothing," Éponine said with a rather forced smile as she started to peel her orange. She was actually rather hungry, but she did not want to admit it.

She was about to take a bite of her orange when Marius came practically running through the door and up to the counter. "Éponine I need your help! You don't mind if I borrow her for a second, right Musichetta?" Musichetta shook her head. "Thanks!"

Marius grabbed her hand and led her to an empty table in the corner. Éponine was very aware of Enjolras' eyes following their every movement.

"So as you know Éponine I consider you one of my very best friends," Marius started. Éponine didn't know if she liked where this was going. "And I think Cosette does too." Éponine wanted to scoff but refrained. Cosette was nice but they had barely said more than two words to each other since they had first met. "So one of Cosette's friends can't make it to the wedding and she was supposed to be a bridesmaid." Éponine really didn't like where this was going. "We need another bridesmaid otherwise the numbers will be all off. I immediately thought of you, and Cosette agreed that it would be a great idea. In truth you'd be doing us a huge favor Éponine, Cosette doesn't have a lot of friends in this area." He looked at her expectantly.

Éponine didn't really know how to respond. Their wedding was in March, she would be seven months pregnant at that point. She didn't think Cosette was envisioning a fat pregnant woman stealing the spotlight from her at the altar. She also felt a tinge of annoyance at being the backup bridesmaid. Nevertheless she decided to let him down easy; after all it had been nice of him to think of her.

"Marius, you know you're one of my best friends as well..."

That seemed to be all Marius needed to hear as he suddenly gathered her up in a tight hug. "Oh thank you so much Éponine! Cosette will be so excited! I'm going to go call her right now!"

Éponine blushed slightly. She wondered if Marius could feel her baby bump, but he didn't seem to notice as he let her go and rushed outside to use his phone.

She felt aggravated that Marius hadn't even let her finish her sentence. _Fine then_, she thought to herself, _I guess Cosette will just have to deal with my giant baby bump messing up the décor of her beloved wedding, you asked for it Marius. _

She suddenly realized that had just agreed to be in the wedding party of the man she had been crushing on for years. And yet, she really wasn't that upset. Annoyed at Marius maybe, but not upset. And when he had hugged her, she hadn't really felt anything but worried that he might figure out her secret. She guessed her crush really was over, after all this time. She smiled to herself.

She looked up to see Enjolras watching her. He looked almost hurt and quickly turned away. She wondered what that was about. She didn't have much time to contemplate his actions however as Musichetta waved at her urgently. Business had picked up and she was drowning in customers.

Éponine went over to help and the crowd didn't die down much until it was almost closing time. Éponine was exhausted and her feet were killing her.

"Éponine, do you mind closing up?" Musichetta asked. Éponine wanted to refuse but she knew that her and Joly had a romantic night planned. "Sure, no problem," she said.

"Thank you so much!" Musichetta grabbed Joly's hand and waved at Éponine as she practically raced out of the door.

Éponine sighed as she began to wipe down the counters. She walked over to the door and turned the sign around from open to closed. She scanned the room and saw Enjolras' blonde head hunched over one of his books. They were the only two left in the café. Éponine began to hum as she wiped down the counters. She stopped a few minutes later and lifted her head when she heard footsteps approaching.

"So, I hear you are going to be a bridemaid?" Enjolras inquired. He looked a little odd to her, as if his smile was too forced. "You realize that in March you are going to be..."

"Seven months pregnant? Yeah, I know. I tried to refuse but Marius didn't seem to hear me," Éponine said as she rolled her eyes. "I guess Cosette can just kick me out of the wedding when she finds out if she wants."

There was a bit of an awkward silence when Éponine suddenly remembered her big news. "I almost forgot! I have something to show you!" she said enthusiastically.

Enjolras perked up a little at her tone. "What is it?"

Éponine took off her apron. "Look! I have an actual bump!" she practically shouted in her excitement.

Enjolras looked at her critically.

"I swear it's there," she said she lifted up her shirt so her stomach was showing and turned to the side.

Enjolras smiled genuinely, the awkwardness from a few minutes ago seemingly forgotten. "You know I actually think I do see something," he said, excitement lacing his voice.

"Come on, feel it!" She was really shouting now. The excitement was contagious. She grabbed his hand and placed it over her small bump.

"I can feel it," he said softly. "There really is something in there isn't there?" He smiled at her. She placed her hand over his. "Yeah, there really is," she replied.

He watched as she smiled until her dimples appeared. He moved his gaze a few inches upward and found himself mesmerized by her big brown eyes. She was staring just as intently back at him. They stood that way for a long time, soaking in happiness. It was as if they were in a trance that both were afraid to break. Slowly their gazes turned from happiness to something more, as the smiles started to slide off of their faces. Enjolras reached up the hand that was not on her stomach to brush away some hair that had fallen in her eyes. He broke their eye contact as his gaze moved down to her lips. And suddenly, as if time had sped up, they were kissing.

There was nothing slow or gentle about this kiss. It was fire and passion, the product of all of the pent up feelings and lingering touches of the past few weeks. His lips felt so good on hers that it was almost as if he couldn't kiss her hard or long enough. Éponine buried her hands in his hair as his hands moved to her waist. He started to kiss her neck, under her ear, her collarbone. When he got to the area near the top of her cleavage she failed to suppress a moan. He looked at her with hungry eyes and crushed his lips back to hers. She sucked on his bottom lip and smiled when this time it was him who gasped.

His hands suddenly migrated from her hips to her upper thighs as he picked her up and deposited her on the counter. She let out a small sound of surprise at the movement but his lips never left hers. He bit her lip lightly and she practically growled. She realized they were wearing way too much clothing. She moved her hands from his hair to under his shirt. She felt some of the warm muscles there as he shivered involuntarily. She tugged on the bottom of the shirt and he seemed to understand. He moved away from her for a moment to allow her to pull his shirt over his head. His lips were back on hers in a second once she was done and she threw the offending piece of clothing aside.

She moved her hands up his back and smiled against his lips at the goosebumps she was creating. He moved his hands to the bottom of her shirt in response and then paused as if asking for permission. She kissed across his jaw and then gently nipped at his earlobe. He seemed to take this as a yes. He was only away from her lips for a second as he pulled the shirt over her head, yet it felt like an eternity. Once he was done she practically grabbed him by the hair and pulled him back to her. She moved one of his hands to her breasts and they both gasped. He started to kiss her neck again, sucking slightly at the skin above her collarbone. She knew it would leave a mark tomorrow but she was beyond caring. She pulled on his hair and she gasped as he bit her neck lightly. She moved her hands down to his zipper as his lips moved back to hers. She had just managed to undo the top button of his jeans, when he suddenly pulled back.

She protested their distance and tried to pull him back to her.

"Just... just hold on a second Éponine," he said huskily, trying to catch his breath. He sighed as he rested his head on her bare shoulder. She was confused but gave him a minute to collect his thoughts. She moved her hands back to his hair, which seemed to relax him a little.

"I just, I just need to know that we are doing the right thing." He pulled away and looked down at her, his eyes slightly clearer but still full of desire.

"What do you mean?" Éponine said shakily, trying to find her voice.

He moved his head back to her shoulder. "It's just," his voice was slightly muffled against her skin. "I know how you feel about Marius, I saw you blush when he hugged you today and how you smiled."

He pulled back and looked at her in the eyes. He brushed a lock of hair out of her face and let his hand linger, his thumb barely brushing her bruised lips. "I know how I feel about you Éponine. I want this, all of this, all of you." He looked at the tiny bump in her stomach. "All of us together." His gaze moved back up into her eyes. "I'm just not sure you want the same thing." He looked at her expectantly, his eyes full of hope and fear.

Éponine didn't know how to respond. She knew that she didn't want Marius, that much was clear. But what he was saying frightened her. She did want him, but he seemed like he was talking about forever. She had never had certainty in her life. She didn't believe things could last, because for her they never had. He said these things now, but one day he would get tired of her, everyone always did. She heard Montparnasse's voice echo in her ears, _a good fuck but nothing more._

She willed herself to look past her insecurities, to live in the now and not worry so much about the future. But she had more to think of than just herself now. She was scared. She opened her lips but no sound came out.

He took her silence as her answer. His hand dropped from her face and he began to step back. His eyes looked so hurt. "You still love him?" he said dejectedly.

She said nothing. Her vocal cords didn't seem to be working. She didn't know how to explain that she didn't love Marius anymore, but she was scared to love _him_.

"I knew that, I knew that you loved him. I knew it when I went upstairs with you that night. I've just been so stupid, thinking you could..." his voice cracked a little. "I... I need to go." He found his shirt on the floor where she had thrown it and pulled it over his head. He started to walk away, and then stopped. He leaned down and picked her shirt up as well. He handed it to her. She took the soft fabric from him as he met her eyes one last time. He was expressionless, but she could see the pain in his eyes. She willed herself to say something to him, anything, but the words didn't come. He broke their gaze and walked away, picking up his bag as he left.

"Sebastian?" she croaked finally, her voice cracking. But he was already out the door. The sound of the door chime was eerie in the silence. She felt a tear slide down her cheek. _It's better this way_, she thought. But it didn't feel like it.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Wow, you guys are spoiling me, I can't believe you have already written me over 100 reviews! Thank you all so much, I am so glad everyone is enjoying it. I only wish I could give you a longer and more upbeat chapter to thank you all. But alas, I have to go in order or else the story won't make sense. The good news is that the next chapter will be up tomorrow. I have a feeling you guys will want it sooner rather than later...**

* * *

Chapter 9

Éponine barely saw Enjolras over the next few days. It was the weekend, so their only interactions had been at the Café Musain. The first day they saw each other consisted of mostly lingering glances that the rest of the Amis didn't notice. They didn't speak two words to each other the entire day, although she did notice that an apple had mysteriously appeared on the counter next to her after he had ordered a coffee from Musichetta.

The next day the Amis seemed to notice that both of their sour moods were connected with one another. Bahorel had approached her around noon and simply said, "Do you need me to punch him? Because I will, I won't hesitate." She had shaken her head but his offer had made her smirk for a moment. She had been right about where his loyalties lied. Then her frown reappeared when she realized she couldn't brag about this to Enjolras.

Even Marius had noticed their foul moods, probably because Enjolras was taking most of his frustration out on him. She felt a little guilty that Marius had become her scapegoat. Her guilt evaporated however when Marius talked to her later that afternoon. "Éponine, I hate to ask this but, did you do something to Enjolras? I'm only saying this because I know you pulled some prank on Grantaire recently. I think you might have gone a little too far this time, he keeps snapping at me and he looks like he has barely slept in days. I've never really seen him like this and everyone is worried." Éponine could barely contain her rage. She briefly considered asking Bahorel to punch him instead. She couldn't believe Marius had just assumed she had been the one to do something to Enjolras and not the other way around. Although she did suppose he was correct in his assumption.

She barely managed to curb her anger as she spit out, rather icily, "No I did not pull a prank on him. What do you want in your coffee?" After he had left the counter she turned around to see Enjolras watching her. She realized he probably thought she was still pining after Marius. She sighed as she heard him snap at Marius again a few minutes later. Her stomach churned rather painfully as she hurried to the bathroom, trying not to run and arouse suspicion. She felt Enjolras' eyes on her when she emerged a few minutes later, a little unsteady on her feet. Luckily no one else had seemed to notice her near mad dash to the bathroom. She walked back to the counter and was surprised to see Enjolras approaching her a minute later. Musichetta had taken her ten-minute break and she was alone at the counter.

There was an awkward silence for a moment. "Um, I'll have a peppermint tea please," he said formally. She looked at him curiously; she didn't think she had ever seen him order tea before. Nevertheless she made his drink in silence and handed it to him. He gave her a few coins and then handed the tea back to her. She must have looked confused because he said softly, "It helps with the morning sickness," and then turned to walk away. She felt tears fill her eyes but she willed them not to fall. Some of the Amis had noticed the exchange and looked perplexed. The only one who didn't look confused was Combeferre, who caught her eye and gave her a sad smile.

The next day was Sunday. She didn't have any shifts and so spent the entire morning and afternoon alternating crouching her head over her books while she studied and crouching her head over the toilet while she vomited. After a particularly bad hour that she spent almost exclusively dry heaving into the toilet, she started sobbing. She wanted to call Enjolras so badly. She knew no matter the circumstances he would come running, but she was too proud.

That night she felt her wish was partially answered when she realized Enjolras there with her in spirit, specifically in the form of Combeferre holding groceries on her doorstep. She knew where the groceries themselves had come from but they both decided not to mention it. He filled her cabinets and then used her rundown kitchen to cook her Fettuccine Alfredo while she looked on in silence. It didn't taste as good as when Enjolras made it for her but she appreciated the sentiment. She gave him a hug before he left and thanked him for everything. He smiled and then stopped on his way to the door. He turned around and looked her right in the eye. "He just needs a little time, you know?" he said sadly. He bid her farewell and left, leaving her to throw up her dinner in peace.

The next day Enjolras said hello to her when they saw each other on campus. A day later he saw her in the Musain and smiled almost genuinely and then handed her a bottle of water. She felt that they were making progress.

Combeferre was still giving her food regularly, although she was throwing most of it up. She didn't mention this to him or Enjolras.

She was cleaning the espresso machine on Wednesday when it happened. She had had a particularly rough morning and had missed two of her classes while her head was glued to the toilet. She had made herself a peppermint tea but it hadn't seemed to help and she now had the unpleasant feeling of being both starving and nauseous at the same time. She took a break from cleaning and saw a banana sitting next to the machine. She hadn't even seen him leave it, but when she turned around he was staring at her with a pointed look that said quite plainly- _you better eat that banana_.

_God I love him_. Éponine gasped as the thought ran through her brain, but the second it did she knew it was true. She loved everything about him-his eyes and his hair and his stubbornness and his neuroticism and his borderline OCD organizational skills. She loved how he bought her books and spouted off random pregnancy facts out of the blue and his compulsive desire to feed her even when they weren't speaking. She loved how he pushed back her hair when she was sick and how his hand felt on her stomach and how his warm lips felt on hers. She didn't care that he might stop loving her in the future; she cared how she felt right now. She loved him and she wasn't afraid of it anymore.

She felt a rush of emotion for him so strong that she had to restrain herself from running over to him and kissing him hungrily in front of all of the Amis. He met her eyes and when she smiled widely, dimples and all, he couldn't help but smile back. This was the happiest she had felt in days, since he had put his hand on her stomach in almost the very spot she was now standing.

She took a step towards him but found it a lot harder than she had anticipated. It was like she was moving through molasses. Enjolras and the rest of the Amis seemed to be moving farther and farther away from her. She suddenly felt dizzy, like the entire earth was tilting sideways. Enjolras looked very concerned. He stood up quickly as her vision started to tunnel. Soon he was all she could see. She reached out a hand blindly and caught the counter and managed to lower herself to the ground without falling. There were spots dancing in front of her as she lay down on the hard floor.

She felt something warm between her legs. She prayed to a god she didn't believe in that she had peed her pants, because the alternative was too horrible to think about. She heard Musichetta calling her name from somewhere to her left and soon _his_ face was swimming above hers. She heard footsteps as more of the Amis rushed over but his face was all she could see. She felt his hands on her shoulders. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were wide with worry. She suddenly felt calm, like he would keep them safe. "Sebastian?" she said softly her voice barely a whisper. His mouth opened and she saw her name forming on his lips, but she couldn't hear his words. Her eyes started to roll back in her head as the darkness encroached and the world suddenly faded to black.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

It was safe to say that Enjolras had not had been having the best week so far. He knew he was being childish. Éponine was carrying his child and he couldn't just ignore her forever. Yet it almost physically pained him to look at her. He had never felt this way about anyone before and she did not return his feelings. He didn't know what to do, so he avoided her eyes at the Musain and when they saw each other on campus.

His efforts were fruitless however as she was still all he could think about. He was worried about her. He knew she should be gaining weight but she seemed to be losing it instead. He could barely sleep at night as he wondered whether she was eating enough or sleeping enough or taking her vitamins. He knew she was still sick but he didn't know how often and he cringed at the thought of her throwing up alone in her tiny bathroom. He tried to appease his worry by sneaking her food and enlisting Combeferre's help in buying her groceries and making her dinner. But a little voice in the back of his mind wondered what good eating was if she was going to throw it up anyway.

He knew his friends were worried about him, he barely spoke and he was tired and grouchy all of the time. Even Grantaire had stopped trying to get a rise out of him because it just wasn't working. Bahorel on the other hand seemed more worried about Éponine, and had started glaring at Enjolras as if he had done something wrong. Enjolras was glad that someone was angry with him, he was angry with himself for ignoring Éponine when she needed him.

Marius was getting the brunt of Enjolras' frustration. He knew he couldn't blame Marius for Éponine's feelings for him, the man was engaged for god's sake, but that didn't stop Enjolras from snapping at him at every opportunity. Enjolras had always prided himself on his logical mind and his ability to keep a cool head under pressure, but at the moment he didn't feel that he possessed either of these qualities.

By Wednesday he had started to feel a little more like himself. He resolved himself to talk to Éponine and plan a time to speak. She may not feel as strongly for him as he felt for her but he would just have to get over it. This was bigger than the two of them.

He went to speak to her at the counter but she was deep in concentration cleaning out one of the machines and he didn't want to bother her, so he left her a banana on the counter. She looked up at him a few minutes later, a grease stain on her forehead and appearing a little dazed. He felt a familiar longing for her and then a rush of hurt when he realized she did not feel the same way. He focused all his energy on willing her to eat the banana. She looked down for a second, as if deep in thought. After a moment she looked back up and caught his eye. The corners of her mouth turned up and she smiled so radiantly that it almost blinded him. He couldn't help but smile back. He had the sudden feeling that everything would be alright now.

But almost as soon as that feeling came it was rushing away.

Éponine took a step forward but faltered. Enjolras saw the fear in her eyes and felt his mouth go dry. He knew something was very wrong and wanted to go to her, but it seemed to take a second for his body to comply. He stood up quickly as she made eye contact with him. He started to move towards her as she flung out an arm and grabbed onto the counter. Enjolras felt like her body was speeding up as his was slowing down. He finally managed to reach her as she lay on the ground. He faintly heard Musichetta yell Éponine's name and movement behind him as the Amis stood up and hurried to Éponine's side. He put his hands on her shoulders as he looked into her eyes that were mercifully open. "Sebastian?" she said softly. She suddenly looked very calm while he felt like his chest was caving in. "Éponine? Please stay awake, I'm going to..." but it was no use as he watched her eyelids flutter closed. She had passed out.

There was silence for a moment. Or at least that was all Enjolras could hear over the sound of the blood rushing in his ears. He stared at Éponine's face. She looked so peaceful. Then it was as if the sound had been turned up to full volume. The gravity of the situation came rushing back at him. He turned to Combeferre but he was already on the phone calling an ambulance.

"Enjolras? I think she's... bleeding," came Grantaire's timid voice from somewhere behind him. He looked down and saw a dark stain on Éponine's jeans. It seemed to still be spreading. He touched part of the stain on her thigh and when he pulled his hand away it came back bright red. He came very close to gagging.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. Joly was kneeling beside Éponine as well. The worry in his eyes told Enjolras that he had already grasped the situation. "Is she?" Joly started. "Yes, she's pregnant," Enjolras responded. He sounded robotic to his own ears.

He heard a few gasps behind him from the Amis and faintly recalled that Éponine had wanted to keep this a secret, but he knew it was ridiculous to think about that at a moment like this.

"An ambulance will be here soon," he heard Combeferre say. He was unaware of how much time had passed, had it been seconds or minutes?

Joly had pulled up Éponine's shirt to look at her stomach. Enjolras was relieved to see that the bump was still there. He even thought it might have grown a small amount in the few days since he had seen it. _Would it still be there if...?_ He didn't let himself finish the thought.

"How far along is she? Enjolras can you hear me?" Joly was looking at him intently. It occurred to Enjolras that Joly had already asked this question multiple times.

"Uhh, about 12 weeks. Almost 13 now," he heard himself say. _Did you know that in your twelfth week of pregnancy the fetus will develop fingernails and toenails?_ He felt detached, like he was standing somewhere outside his body.

Joly pressed lightly on Éponine's stomach. "That sounds about right," Joly said softly, almost to himself. "I think I might know what this is but I can't be sure without an ultrasound. I'll talk to the paramedics when they get here." Enjolras felt himself nod. He didn't ask Joly what he thought, he was afraid of the answer.

He heard the Amis asking him questions about the pregnancy but he couldn't understand what they were saying.

He ran a hand through Éponine's hair, pushing it away from her forehead. He did this for a few minutes. He was vaguely aware of the Amis trying to crowd around him but Combeferre held them back.

"There's nothing we can do until the paramedics get here," he thought he heard Combeferre say. "Joly has it under control. I think Enjolras might be in shock, just let him sit there for now."

Enjolras just kept stroking Éponine's hair, he felt completely useless. He wondered if she was cold with her shirt hitched up like that. He wanted to give her his jacket but he didn't want to interrupt Joly's examination.

After what felt like an hour he finally heard sirens. The paramedics entered quickly and suddenly everything was chaos. Everyone was yelling and Éponine was being strapped to a backboard and Joly was talking to the paramedics. Enjolras felt like he was in slow motion. He was afraid the paramedics would leave with Éponine before he could speed back up again.

Combeferre touched his shoulder cautiously. Enjolras looked at his friend and time seemed to go back to normal. "They're taking her to the hospital. The paramedics have room for one more if you want to ride along."

Enjolras nodded and walked forward as Éponine was carried into the ambulance. "Are you the father?" a female paramedic asked him. "Yes," he said softly. His throat felt raw.

She gave him a hand up into the ambulance. He immediately sat by Éponine's side and took her hand. He was relieved to find that it was still warm.

"We'll meet you at the hospital, okay my friend? Take care of her until we get there," Combeferre called to him. When he saw the blank look on Enjolras face he added, "It will be okay." But his voice cracked at the end.

The rest of his friends were all standing behind Combeferre. Their faces held a mix of shock, worry, and pity. Joly was holding a crying Musichetta. He watched as Grantaire took a swig from the beer he was still holding, almost as if on autopilot. Before he knew it the doors to the ambulance were shut and they were pulling away from the café.

The ambulance ride was a blur to Enjolras. He had called Dr. Moore and was sure that he was fairly incoherent, but she merely asked which hospital they were going to in a calm voice. He realized he wasn't sure. One of the paramedics had then taken pity on him and seized his phone, telling her where they were going and updating her on Éponine's condition. He heard the words 'placenta' and 'possible miscarriage'.

He felt a second away from hyperventilating, and just concentrated on holding Éponine's hand. She was so pale. At one point her eyelids fluttered but they didn't open. The paramedics asked him a few questions and he answered the best he could, but he must have been pretty unresponsive because one of the paramedics actually asked him if he was okay and shined a light in his eyes for a few seconds.

When they reached the hospital Éponine was rushed back to one of the rooms but Enjolras was held back from following. "You can wait here," a male doctor said to him kindly. "We'll come update you soon. And your doctor called, Dr. Moore? She's on her way. Your girlfriend is in good hands." He walked away before Enjolras could correct him.

Enjolras wondered if they would have let him go back with Éponine if he had been functioning like a normal human being. _Cool head under pressure my ass_, he thought to himself.

Enjolras looked around and realized he was in a waiting room covered in plastic chairs. He thought back to the last time he had sat in one of those uncomfortable hospital chairs. He had been with Éponine. He didn't want to sit down. Some of the other people waiting were looking at him in pity. He turned towards the wall, which was white and unobtrusive.

Before he knew it his friends were rushing through the door and surrounding him. He realized he had been simply staring at the wall for minutes.

"Enjolras?" Combeferre said tentatively. He turned around and was suddenly on the receiving end of dozens of questions from his friends.

"Is Éponine okay?"

"When did this happen?"

"Did she lose the baby?"

"Were you going to keep the baby?"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"What is going on?"

Enjolras looked down from their questioning gazes and suddenly the only thing he could concentrate on was his hands, or rather the blood that was still caked onto his hand from where he had touched Éponine's thigh. He felt the bile rising up in his throat and he couldn't stop it this time.

He ran to the bathroom and just made it to the toilet. He gagged a few times and then sat up and flushed. Someone handed him a wet paper towel and he looked up to see all of his friends crowded in the bathroom.

"Thanks," he said as he wiped his mouth, though he wasn't sure which friend he was thanking. He felt horrible; he didn't know how Éponine did this everyday. He winced, just thinking her name hurt.

He stood up and began furiously washing his hands, trying to get the blood off. He could see his friends staring in the reflection of the mirror.

"I think you've got it Enjolras," Combeferre said quietly after a minute, turning off the tap and handing him a paper towel.

He dried off his hands and walked back into the waiting room. He wondered how he had found the bathroom so fast. It must have been some sort of survival instinct.

He started pacing. He felt a little more alert, but with that the worry increased tenfold. He almost wished he would go back into shock but he knew Éponine needed him.

His friends all looked like they were bursting with questions. Combeferre looked at them all critically, as if to say _don't overwhelm him again. _

He heard a voice from the back of the group. It was Grantaire, who seemed to have lost his bottle on the way to the hospital. "So, just to clarify, Éponine is pregnant. And you are the father."

Enjolras nodded and resumed his pacing.

Grantaire seemed to take a second to absorb this information. "Okay then," he said softly.

"What did the doctors say Enjolras?" This was Joly.

"Um, the paramedics said some things in the ambulance about the placenta or something? And the doctors just told me to wait here. Oh and her doctor is coming, Dr. Moore." He didn't mention that they had also talked about a possible miscarriage. He didn't want to say it out loud.

Joly nodded as if this is what he had been expecting.

"And this fight you were having with Éponine, that was because she told you she was pregnant?" came a booming, angry voice. Enjolras looked up, it was Bahorel. He thought getting punched in the face might actually feel good right now.

"No, she told me weeks ago," Enjolras clarified.

"Then what were you fighting about?" asked Feuilly.

At another time Enjolras might have protested these personal questions but he was too exhausted to care.

"I told Éponine that I liked her and I wanted to be with her but I was worried she still liked Marius. She didn't correct me. We weren't so much fighting as avoiding each other."

Some of his friends looked surprised at this news. They had probably figured it would have been the other way around, that he would have broken Éponine's heart.

"Where is Marius?" Enjolras asked. If Éponine cared for him so deeply he should be here for her.

"I think he was with Cosette. I texted him and they're on their way, though I didn't really explain the situation," Combeferre replied.

"Okay," Enjolras answered. His friends seemed to be out of questions, and now that he had nothing to do the events of the last hour were replaying themselves over and over in his mind. He resumed his pacing. Maybe Bahorel would punch him in the face if he asked politely. It would certainly be a nice distraction.

"How long has it been?" he asked. "It's been about 15 minutes since we got here," someone answered. Was it better if the doctors took a short time with her or a long time? He guessed shorter was probably better.

He paced up and down up and down. In a way it was almost soothing. Almost.

After another 10 minutes Marius suddenly appeared, Cosette fast on his tail.

He took in the Amis sitting solemnly in their chairs and Enjolras pacing back and forth. "What's going on? Is Éponine okay? What happened?" he looked nervous.

The Amis looked at each other, unsure how to respond.

"I impregnated Éponine at your engagement party and now she's probably losing the baby," Enjolras heard himself say, surprised he had voiced his biggest fear aloud. Enjolras supposed he could have broken the news more gently but he found that he didn't really care at the moment.

"What?" Marius said. He was almost smiling, as if it were a joke. When no one corrected Enjolras he frowned. "Wait, seriously?" His mouth had fallen open in shock. "I didn't even know she was pregnant... why didn't she tell me?"

"None of us knew," Jean Prouvaire spoke up. "She just collapsed at the Musain and started bleeding."

Marius looked like he was trying to absorb all of this information.

"Éponine wanted to wait until we had everything figured out to tell anyone. Combeferre only knew because he found a baby book at my apartment," Enjolras stated, running his hands through his hair, which was already in disarray.

Everyone whirled to look at Combeferre. "You knew and you didn't tell us?" Bahorel growled. Everyone felt too bad for Enjolras to be angry with him, but Combeferre was fair game.

"Hey, I was trying to respect their wishes. Besides, I am the godfather," Combeferre said somewhat proudly. He then realized that there might be no baby over which to be the godfather. His face deflated a bit.

The Amis looked like they wanted to protest the news that the godfather had already been chosen when a voice sounded out to their right.

"Sebastian?" Dr. Moore called.

Some of the Amis looked confused as Enjolras took a deep breath and walked slowly towards her. He felt as though he was either walking to his death or his salvation. Some of his friends made to follow him, but Combeferre held them back. He felt this news was only for Enjolras' ears for the moment.

They watched as Enjolras nodded along with the doctor's words. He looked worried, but they couldn't really tell what the doctor was saying from Enjolras' face. After about a minute, without warning, Enjolras suddenly flung his arms around Dr. Moore in a hug. The Amis were all speechless and Courfeyrac audibly gasped. Most of them had never seen him hug anyone before, let alone a random doctor. Dr. Moore sort of awkwardly patted him on the back and he released her. Enjolras followed her down the hall without so much as a backward glance at his friends, his mind clearly on one person and one person only.

The Amis all stared at the spot where Enjolras had just been in shock. They were all open-mouthed. After a minute Grantaire vocalized what they were all thinking, "So was that hug a good sign or a bad one?"

"Good I think," Combeferre replied as a smile lit up his face. "Definitely good."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I just want to apologize in advance for any medical inaccuracies in this chapter. I tried really hard to keep it realistic, but I'm not a doctor and google can only do so much. And thank you for the enormous amount of reviews, you guys are awesome. I hope I didn't traumatize you too much with these past few chapters...**

* * *

Chapter 11

When Éponine opened her eyes the first thing she saw was Enjolras passed out in a chair near her bed. He was snoring slightly with his mouth open. She was just thinking that she should take a picture with her phone when she realized where she was. She remembered lying on the ground and a warm feeling between her legs.

She looked down. She was in a hospital gown and there was an IV in her arm. She tried to check if her bump was still there but she felt sluggish and her arms weren't cooperating.

"Hey, you're awake," she turned at the sound of the voice and saw Grantaire sitting in a chair near Enjolras, lowering a magazine to the floor. He had been reading CosmoGirl. She probably would have found this funny if she wasn't so terrified.

He looked over at Enjolras. "He's been passed out like that for two hours. Combeferre suggested we take shifts sitting with you in case you woke up before he did. Since you woke up for me I guess that means you like me the best out of the Amis right?" he grinned at her.

Éponine just sort of gaped at him. She felt like it was a bad sign that he hadn't told her she was alright yet. It was as if he was avoiding something. She was afraid to ask him what was wrong with her but she needed to know.

"What... what happened?" she sputtered. "Is everything okay?"

Grantaire's eyes grew wide. "Oh shit, sorry. I forgot you didn't know. It's okay, you are totally fine."

Grantaire meant this as reassuring but Éponine took it another way. "_I _am fine?" she asked, noting that he had used a singular term. Did that mean that the baby was gone? Was hers the only life left in her body?

"Um yeah, _you _are fine," he replied somewhat confused as to what she was getting at. "Enjolras was freaking out though, you should have seen him. I have never seen him like that. Actually I have never seen anyone like that. And he _hugged_ the doctor..."

But Éponine had stopped listening. _The baby is gone. It's gone and it is never coming back._

Grantaire stopped talking when he heard sniffling. He was horrified when Éponine's eyes filled up with tears and she started silently sobbing. "Oh shit. Éponine? What's wrong?"

"What's going on?" Enjolras suddenly slurred. He sat up as he wiped the sleep out of his eyes. He had woken up at the sound of Éponine's name. He was ecstatic that she was awake, but concerned that she was already sobbing.

Enjolras kneeled down by her bed and took her hand. Grantaire meanwhile stepped slightly away from the bed. He was confused as to what he had said to make Éponine cry. He decided that she was probably just scared and tired from the day's events.

Enjolras stroked Éponine's hair, "What's wrong?"

It took Éponine a few moments to calm down enough to speak and even then she could only get a few words out. "The baby," she sobbed. "It's gone isn't it?"

Enjolras looked horrified. "Éponine the baby is fine. You're still pregnant. You and the baby are both okay," he said in a calming voice.

Enjolras was relieved when her tears started to slow down. Éponine tried to catch her breath. "The baby... the baby is okay?"

"Yes," Enjolras said. "The baby is fine. There was a small complication; the doctor can probably explain it better than me. But everything is okay now I promise." He pressed a kiss to her forehead as her tears stopped altogether. "Why did you think the baby was gone?"

"Because Grantaire," she was still having a hard time catching her breath. "Because Grantaire said..."

Enjolras turned around and gave Grantaire a look to rival one of Éponine's glares. It was as if he had taken all the pain and tension and anger from the day's events and concentrated it into a single bullet that he was now shooting at Grantaire from his eyes.

"Holy shit," Grantaire muttered, legitimately frightened.

"What did you say to her," Enjolras said in a clear, even voice that was dripping with rage. Grantaire was worried he might pounce.

"Uhhh... Uhhh I honestly have no idea," Grantaire stuttered, wishing he had a better answer. He wondered if he should make a run for it or jump out of the window. The window was closer. _And they were in a hospital_, he reasoned.

"I don't think it was really his fault," Éponine said softly. She seemed to have calmed down. "I was really worried when he woke up and he told me that _I_ was fine and I took that to mean that I was fine but the baby was not."

Enjolras seemed to accept her answer and turned away from Grantaire. But Grantaire could still see that the muscles in his back were tense and angry. _That tap-dancing video is definitely going public_, he thought to himself.

He decided to remove himself from the room. "Uhhh I'm going to go tell the doctor she is awake," he said as he walked backwards.

"Yes, that's probably a good idea," Enjolras said shortly. Most of the rage was gone from his voice but there was still just enough anger to make Grantaire flee the room as quickly as possible.

Enjolras pulled his chair close to her bed and sat down again, grasping her hand and stroking it with his thumb.

"How long have I been asleep?" Éponine asked. She already felt tired again but she wanted to talk to the doctor.

Enjolras looked at his watch. "About four hours, its 9 p.m. now," Enjolras said, a little surprised that he himself had been sleeping for over two hours.

There was a knock at the door as Dr. Moore appeared in the doorway. "Hello, I'm glad to see you're awake Éponine. Is everything alright in here? Your friend seemed a little upset when he came to get me."

"No, everything is fine," Éponine said. She didn't want to explain that she thought she had lost the baby because of _grammar_.

"Well Éponine, you gave everyone quite a scare, but you and your baby seem to be doing well." She gave Éponine and Enjolras a kind smile. "You have what we call placenta previa, which is when the placenta is too low in the uterus. That is what caused the bleeding you were experiencing. Fortunately, this is usually not a problem in early pregnancy. When placenta previa occurs before 20 weeks, 90% of the time it goes away on its own. It's when it is after 20 weeks that it can become a problem. We will simply have to keep an eye on it with our ultrasounds to make sure that this doesn't happen." Dr. Moore spoke in a clear, calming voice.

"The bleeding you experienced was actually not as severe as it probably seemed. Although I'm sure it was frightening," she added at the look on Enjolras' face. "You did not require a blood transfusion, which is good. Although the blood loss may have been part of the reason you fainted, the main reason was because you were dehydrated. That is why you have the saline drip in your arm. We had to rehydrate you. Sebastian told me that your morning sickness has gotten very bad, and I'm guessing that this is what caused your dehydration. Did you keep anything down today?" she asked.

Éponine shook her head sheepishly. Enjolras was looking at her sadly.

"Well Éponine next time you have a symptom that gets this bad I advise you to tell me, because this could have been a lot more serious," Dr. Moore said solemnly. "The good news is that many woman find their morning sickness fades within the 2nd trimester, which starts at 13 weeks, and you are almost there. If it does not fade by then there are other methods we can try. As for the placenta previa, if you experience any more bleeding or cramping you will need to call me straight away and we might need to restrict your movements or put you on bedrest." Éponine's eyes went wide at her last comment. "But it will most likely not reach that point. I think it will be safe to discharge you from the hospital at this time, but I want you to take it easy for a few days. No heavy lifting and plenty of rest and fluids. I also think you should be observed overnight. Is there someone at home who can keep an eye on you?" Dr. Moore inquired.

"She'll be coming home with me," Enjolras stated with no hesitation. Éponine didn't correct him.

Dr. Moore nodded. "Okay well, other than that you are free to go. I am going to get your discharge papers started. You will probably be here for a little while longer. Do you want me to tell your friends to come in? They seem to be rather impatient to see you."

"Actually, do you mind asking them to wait?" Éponine looked at Enjolras, she was eager to talk to him.

Dr. Moore smiled at her, "Of course, and Éponine I would like to schedule you for an ultrasound when you are 16 weeks, just so we can see how your placenta previa is progressing."

Éponine nodded.

"Remember to call me with any questions. That's what I'm here for," she looked at both of them pointedly. "And I am very glad that this was only a scare," she smiled at them kindly and walked out the door, leaving the two of them alone in the room.

Éponine was eager to tell Enjolras about how she felt. A hospital room wasn't the most romantic location but Éponine thought it would have to do. She struggled with how she should start. Should she just come out and say it? She opened her mouth to speak but Enjolras beat her to it.

"I'm sorry," he said, his eyes downcast. "For everything these past few days."

"Enjolras, I am the one who should be sorry. In fact I wanted to tell you..." She saw her opening, but Enjolras didn't seem to be done talking.

"This is all my fault," Enjolras blurted out. Éponine was startled to see that his eyes were a little watery. She recalled Grantaire mentioning that Enjolras had 'freaked out' earlier. Enjolras had comforted her about the situation; maybe it was time for her to comfort him. Her feelings would just have to wait. Maybe it would be more romantic anyway if she didn't have a saline drip in her arm and was wearing actual human clothes.

"What do you mean?" she prodded carefully. She laid her hand on his arm.

Enjolras looked up at the contact. Suddenly it was as if a dam was breaking, all of the pain and the terror and the sadness of the day finally coming to a head. Éponine saw his eyes fill with tears.

"It's just that..." he started, and then he couldn't stop. "I've been avoiding you these past few days, which was childish of me to begin with. But you're pregnant, and I knew you were getting sick every morning and still I avoided you. I thought just giving you food and having Combeferre bring you groceries was enough but it wasn't." Some of the tears had started to run down his cheeks now. Enjolras looked angry at himself for letting them fall. He tried to wipe them away but they kept coming. "I was just being selfish because I wanted you to feel the same way about me as you do about Marius." His voice cracked. Éponine wanted to interrupt him but she knew he needed to get his feelings out. "And then... and then today Éponine, when you collapsed," he shuddered. "I mean you could have died. You could have lost the baby all because I wanted you to tell me you liked me," he spit out, looking angry with himself. His face then started to crumple, "I should have been there for you, I should have been there holding back your hair and forcing you to eat and calling the doctor when I saw that it wasn't working." He tried fruitlessly to wipe some of the tears from his eyes. "You were so pale lying there on the ground and there was so much blood." His breath hitched as his tears started to turn into sobs. "I thought... I thought you were going to die. I thought the baby was dead. And it was all my fault. This, you lying here now, it's all my fault. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

He was sobbing uncontrollably now. He buried his face in his arms as he leaned against the bed. His voice was muffled and almost unintelligible. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she heard him muttering over and over again.

Éponine wiped a few of her own tears from her eyes. "Enjolras this was my fault not yours. I could feel that I was weak and I knew I couldn't keep anything down and I didn't call the doctor..." she trailed off when she realized her words were doing nothing to comfort him.

"Enjolras? Enjolras look at me please," she pleaded. He lifted his head slowly. She took his face in her hands. She could feel his warm tears on her fingers. "Listen to me, this was not your fault alright? _This was not your fault_." Her words seemed to calm him a small amount but the tears were still streaming down his cheeks. His face looked so young and innocent, it broke her heart.

She moved over and patted the space next to her. He only hesitated a second before crawling onto the bed. He lay down beside her, careful to avoid hitting her IV even through his tears. She pulled his head down to her chest and started to stroke his hair. She could feel the warm tears soaking through her hospital gown. After a few moments he was sobbing again at full speed. She rested her chin on his head and stroked his hair as he cried.

After a few minutes his sobs began to soften until there were only a few lone tears still running down his face. His was still gasping for air, but soon his breathing began to even out. He placed his hand on the bump in her stomach, as if reminding himself it was still there. She continued to stroke his hair as they sat in a comfortable silence.

A few minutes later he spoke. "I haven't cried like that since my mother died," he said softly, his voice raw. He wiped some of the tears out of his eyes with the hand that was not splayed on her stomach.

She had known that his mother had died when he was young but she had never heard him talk about it before. "How old were you?" she asked hesitantly.

"I was eleven. She was sick. It was cancer," his voice sounded clinical, detached. He was now softly stroking her stomach and she wondered if he was talking to her or the baby. He didn't offer any more information and she didn't press him for it. She knew he would tell her about it when he was ready, and it had already been such a long and emotional day.

"I'm sorry for being such a mess. Here you are lying in a hospital bed, comforting me instead of the other way around," Enjolras said softly. He sounded ashamed.

"It's okay Enjolras. I think some emotions are warranted in a situation like this, and this shirt could use a wash anyway," she said with mirth in her voice, repeating his words from the night she had sobbed into his chest weeks ago after she had first told him she was pregnant. So much had happened since that night, it felt like a lifetime ago.

"While I'm flattered that you considered my words significant enough to quote, you are wearing a hospital gown and I'm pretty sure they just throw those out when you're done with them," Enjolras replied with amusement in his voice. Éponine chuckled.

A nurse poked her head in the room, ready with the discharge forms. Her face was stern and impatient as if she was having a stressful day, but it softened a little when she saw them laying on the bed together, her hand still stroking his hair, his hand on the bump on her stomach.

They both jumped a little at her entrance. Éponine was surprised that Enjolras didn't immediately startle out of her arms when he realized there was another person in the room. She thought maybe he was as content in her embrace as she was holding him.

Fifteen minutes later Éponine was IV free and Enjolras was pushing her hospital-mandated wheelchair towards the waiting room. Éponine had grumbled that she could walk but he knew she was actually exhausted.

"So how many of the Amis, are here?" Éponine asked casually.

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Enjolras said cryptically as he wheeled her through the doorway.

She was met by the sight of all of the Amis walking in a circle around a row of chairs.

She recognized that they were playing a twisted game of musical chairs they had once invented at a party. Grantaire would drunkenly sing a song and once he forgot the words you had to sit down. It was like the regular game except once you sat down you had to take a shot, and if you were the odd one out you had to take three. Also the Amis tended to play this game no holds barred, and someone always got injured by the end. Somehow it always seemed to be Grantaire, even though he never actually participated in the sitting part of the game. At the moment they were playing without the alcohol, although it seemed to be just as violent.

Éponine and Enjolras went unnoticed as they watched Grantaire forget the lyrics to the Spice Girls timeless classic 'Wannabe'. Éponine giggled as the normally mild-mannered Jean Prouvaire kicked Bossuet in the knee and then jumped over his moaning body to claim a blue plastic hospital chair. Musichetta was sitting in the corner somewhat disapprovingly along with Joly, who was sporting a rather impressive black eye. Some of the waiting room residents seemed to be enjoying the entertainment while others were glaring at the spectacle in displeasure.

Grantaire looked up when he heard Éponine's laugh. "Look who finally decided to join us!" he seemed to have forgotten about the awkward incident earlier. Éponine suspected there might be more than water in the water bottle he was using as a microphone. "We've been waiting forever for you. Then we realized that this was a perfect way to pass the time. If I break my arm again, we are already in the hospital!"

At Grantaire's words everyone looked up and rushed at Éponine all at once. It was a little overwhelming, sitting in a wheelchair while everyone stared down at her from above. At the same time she was a little teary eyed that they had come to the hospital and waited for over four hours just to see if she was okay. Questions and comments were flying at her from every direction as the Amis began talking over each other.

"Are you okay?" asked Musichetta

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Marius as he held Cosette's hand.

"Did you and Enjolras actually have sex? Are you sure it wasn't an immaculate conception? I think Enjolras is god-like enough to pull that off," slurred Grantaire.

"I know Enjolras is good looking and all, but why choose him as a baby daddy when you could have had all this," Courfeyrac exclaimed, gesturing to his entire body and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"What did the doctor say specifically? Is she still here? Do you think she could take a quick look at my eye? I think I might have gangrene..." Joly exclaimed.

"That offer I made to you the other day still stands Éponine," said Bahorel, cracking his knuckles threateningly.

Éponine tried to answer her friend's questions as best she could, but she could feel her eyelids drooping. She had just finished answering Courfeyrac, ("I didn't know that was an option but I'll keep that in mind for the next one.") when she failed to suppress a huge yawn. Enjolras put up his hand. "Guys I think we can all agree its been a very long day. Éponine needs to get some more sleep, why don't we save the rest of the inquisition for another time?"

Everyone agreed seeing as it was obvious that Éponine was going to pass out from exhaustion at any moment, although there were a few grumbles– mostly from Joly ("Can you just give me the doctor's number? Seriously guys my eye should not be this color!").

They said their goodbyes and all waved as Enjolras started to wheel Éponine away, along with Combeferre who was giving them a ride. Suddenly a thought occurred to Enjolras and he turned around. He looked at all his friends, from Grantaire (who was turning his bottle upside down to see if there was any "water" left) to Courfeyrac (who was still wiggling his eyebrows at Éponine). He felt a sudden fondness for all of them.

"I just want to say thank you, all of you, for everything. Today was pretty horrible but it would have been ten times worse if you guys weren't here. I know everyone always calls me the leader, but I think today proved that I can barely function without all of you. I'm really lucky to have such great friends," Enjolras said with a small smile.

No one really knew what to say. They had seen more emotion from Enjolras in one day than they knew he was capable of in his lifetime. Needless to say they were a little freaked out. Most of them nodded at Enjolras. He turned to walk away.

"Wait I just have one last quick question!" yelled Grantaire.

Enjolras took pity on him. "What is it?"

"Well back at the café the last thing Éponine said was Sebastian. And then earlier the doctor called you Sebastian too..."

Éponine looked like Christmas had come early. She looked at Enjolras with puppy dog eyes, as if to say _Can I? Please_?

"Damn it," Enjolras muttered. He couldn't resist Éponine's smile. "If you must," he said to her, bracing himself.

Éponine paused for dramatic effect, "Ladies and gentleman, and Grantaire, may I present to you, Sebastian Emmanuel Enjolras!"

There was a brief silence until Bahorel scoffed, "Sebastian? Really?" The Amis immediately burst into hysterical laughter. Joly soon took out his phone and discovered the meaning of Sebastian was 'majestic'. Most of the Amis found this strangely accurate and began to discuss Enjolras' majestic hair and majestic cheekbones and majestic sense of justice. Then Joly of course had to look up Enjolras' middle name as well and everyone was overjoyed to discover Emmanuel meant 'God is with us'.

"MAJESTIC GOD IS WITH US!" Grantaire shouted at the top of his lungs. "I told you all didn't I! No one believed me! I bet you're thinking twice about my immaculate conception theory now aren't you Éponine?" After that it wasn't long before Jean Prouvaire mentioned _The Little Mermaid_. Feuilly and Courfeyrac broke into competing renditions of 'Under the Sea' and 'Kiss the Girl' while prancing around the room. Needless to say, Enjolras and most of those in the waiting room were not very happy.

And even though he knew he would never live this down ("Can you do the voice? You know, the Sebastian voice from the movie? Come on, at least try!") and he had no idea how many of his friends inane comments he would have to suffer through ("Dear majestic god, it's me Marius. I would really like a pony, do you think you could make that happen?") he found that he didn't care. He watched as a perfect, dimpled smile, a smile he had almost lost today, appeared across Éponine's face. His dignity was a small price to pay for her happiness.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The next day Éponine woke up in Enjolras' warm, fluffy bed. And that's where she stayed. The entire day.

The morning had started out wonderfully. He had made her breakfast in bed and she had eaten while he read the newspaper. There had been a comfortable silence and it had almost felt domestic, like they were just a normal family on a lazy morning– her, Enjolras, and the blob. It wasn't until Éponine tried to get out of bed that she realized the day was definitely not going to be normal.

"What are you doing?" Enjolras asked with a wide look in his eyes.

"Umm, I was planning on maybe getting dressed and then possibly going to class..." Éponine answered.

"Éponine, didn't you hear the doctor? You are supposed to take it easy!" Enjolras said in a rush. Before she knew what was happening he had moved her back into the bed and the covers were placed up to her chin. "It's alright, I already emailed your professors and told them you were sick. Combeferre is going to pick up some of your work for you and drop it off later," he said calmly.

"What about clothes? I don't have enough clothes to stay here tomorrow too," she reasoned.

He held up a bag. "Musichetta dropped these off for you last night."

"And work?" Éponine asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Musichetta is going to take your shifts until Monday, you're only job right now is to relax," he looked at her pointedly.

Éponine wanted to protest, but she did still feel a little run-down. And the memory of Enjolras sobbing into her chest was vivid in her memory. She knew that being overprotective of her was just his way of coping with yesterday. Éponine supposed that if it made him feel better she could swallow her pride and just let him take care of her for the day.

What she didn't realize was that Enjolras' version of overprotective bordered on insanity.

That first day he barely let her get out of bed to go to the bathroom. He made her lunch and dinner and moved the TV into his room so they could watch some romantic comedies he had picked up for her. Though the proud part of her hated feeling like a burden, Enjolras was being very sweet.

She almost shared her feelings with him multiple times over the day, but whenever she opened her mouth the words would not seem to come out. Éponine decided she didn't want to do it while she felt like an invalid, or at least that is what she told herself. When she had been in the hospital sharing her feelings had seemed like a good idea, but now that all the excitement was gone she could feel all her old insecurities creeping up on her again.

The next day Éponine was sure that Enjolras would calm down. After all, he had missed his classes yesterday too and she knew how much he hated getting behind on anything. She almost had him convinced that she was okay to go to class when her stomach decided to rebel against her.

She only threw up once but Enjolras' eyes went wide with fear. He rushed her back to the bed and then called Dr. Moore in a panic. He was on the phone with her for 30 minutes until she was finally able to convince him that a little morning sickness was normal, they only had cause for concern if it got out of hand like it had before. Even so, Enjolras barely let her get out of bed the entire day, and he kept forcing her to eat. This would have been fine if he weren't trying to make her eat weird healthy foods like figs and flax seeds. He barely left her side, and every time she fidgeted or yawned he looked over at her in concern. She tried to get some of her work done, but it was hard to write an essay when every time she stopped typing he glanced over as if to check that she hadn't passed out. She decided that today was not a good time to share her feelings with him either, after all he was a nervous wreck. She ignored the little voice in her head calling her a coward.

On Saturday he let her get up and get dressed, which she thought was progress. She even managed to move from his bed to his couch. Enjolras told her that she could leave the apartment tomorrow if she didn't throw up at all today. Although she was silently fuming that he felt he could direct her movements, she held her tongue. He had agreed to let her leave the apartment and she shouldn't question it.

In revolt, she watched trashy reality TV the entire day, knowing that he would not leave her side no matter what. She didn't even like those types of shows but it was worth it knowing the suffering she was causing him. She even started discussing the shows with him. She had no idea what she was talking about, but he didn't know that.

"You know, I really think Brad and Johanne are going to make it. I mean, he did cheat on her with her sister, but he said he was sorry. What do you think Enjolras?"

Enjolras simply grunted in response. He looked like he was in pain.

She watched joyfully as he got more and more frustrated. Finally, after about three hours of trying to keep his mouth shut, he went into an hour-long rant about the degradation of modern society. She felt victorious and smirked to herself. At the same time she couldn't help but notice that he was adorable when he was rambling. She felt a familiar longing in her chest. She thought about interrupting his rant, but decided that it would be better to wait till tomorrow to have the feelings discussion with him, after she had finally reentered the real world. _Pussy_, said the voice in her head.

She awoke Sunday excited to finally be able to leave the apartment. She smiled at the warm, muscular arm draped across her stomach. She turned her head and saw that Enjolras was sleeping soundly beside her. One of the good things about an overprotective Enjolras was that it was not hard to convince him to sleep in the bed with her. After all, what if something went wrong in the middle of the night and he was all the way on the couch?

Excitement washed over her as she realized this was the day. Enjolras had promised that they could go for a walk and get lunch. Maybe the smell of fresh air would inspire her enough to finally talk about her feelings. She decided to let Enjolras sleep in a little, determined to make him breakfast for once. She was trying to figure out the best way to extricate herself from his arms when she heard the voices.

"Um, Enjolras?"

He opened his eyes sleepily and then smiled at her. "Hey," he said in a drowsy voice.

"Are you expecting company? Because I hear voices outside the door," she said with a little bit of fear in her voice.

Enjolras suddenly looked very awake. He sat up, alert, as he heard the muffled whispering as well. He looked at Éponine in alarm. "No, I'm not. Stay here okay? I'm going to go check it out." He stood up and cautiously walked over to the door.

Éponine was nervous. She had dealt with her fair share of thieves in her life; in fact she used to be one herself. She knew this probably wouldn't end well.

She saw Enjolras' hand on the doorknob. "Why don't we just call the police?" she said nervously. But he had already turned the knob and opened the door a sliver. He looked a little surprised and then proceeded to swing the door open.

There was silence for a moment, and then she heard a chorus of male voices yell out "Sebastian!" Éponine sighed in relief. She would recognize those voices anywhere. She pulled the covers off of herself and padded down the cold floor to stand behind Enjolras.

There were a few catcalls when the Amis saw her. Éponine rolled her eyes.

"Enjolras I'm not sure if you were aware of this but I think there was a girl in your bed," Courfeyrac said in a faux-shocked voice.

Enjolras ignored him. "How did you even get in here?"

The Amis looked at Combeferre.

Enjolras' eyes narrowed at his best friend. "That key was for emergencies," he said sternly.

Combeferre looked a little sheepish.

"Don't look him in the eyes Combeferre! Bow down to the majestic god and beg for his forgiveness lest he strike you dead!" Grantaire yelled dramatically as he bowed at Enjolras' feet.

Enjolras groaned. "This is never going to end is it?"

"Nope," Grantaire said with a smile as he stood back up.

"So why are you guys here?" Éponine asked, trying to get the conversation back on track.

"Well Éponine, this is what we call an intervention," replied Courfeyrac. "Enjolras has kept you cooped up in this room for far too long and it's time for you two to have a little fun. And who is more fun than us?"

"We have the whole day planned out!" Combeferre said excitedly. "Although nothing strenuous," he added when he saw Enjolras' worried glance towards Éponine. "And if you are not up for this Éponine we could all just hang out here."

"No, believe me I am ready to get out of this apartment. And I've missed you guys." Éponine replied. She had actually been a little hurt that none of the Amis had come to check up on her recently. The only one she had seen was Combeferre a few days ago when he had come to drop off her schoolwork, but even that had only been for a minute.

"Well we tried to come visit but _someone_ told us that you needed to rest and that we were 'distracting' and 'loud'," Bossuet replied with a scoff as he accidently bumped into the table next to the couch, breaking a lamp and swearing loudly at his stubbed toe.

Éponine whirled around to Enjolras, who seemed very interested in the ceiling all of the sudden. She felt all of the suppressed anger of the last few days seeping out of her. Enjolras looked into her eyes and shuddered. He glanced at Combeferre in panic.

"Don't you want to know what's on the agenda for today Éponine?" Combeferre said quickly, trying to distract Éponine before she exploded. "Well, Jean Prouvaire wanted to go to a poetry reading and Feuilly wanted to go to the Polish history museum, but we decided that it might be better if we planned activities that you actually wanted to do. So first we are going to take a walk in the park and look at the art exhibition that is touring there this week, and then we are going to get lunch at that restaurant Éponine loves so much and then we are going to go to that bookstore that you two never shut up about. After that we are going to go protest a little bit in front of that new country club that refuses to admit minorities."

"And then," Marius had taken over the talking from his spot on the couch. "We are going to split up and while we go to a bar with Enjolras, you are going shopping with Cosette!" Marius said happily.

The rest of the Amis avoided eye contact with Éponine and many of them shifted a bit. She knew that this had been Marius' idea and he had probably been so excited that the rest of the Amis hadn't had the heart to tell him that shopping with his fiancé probably wasn't Éponine's idea of a good time. She would rather go to the bar, even if she couldn't actually drink.

She caught Enjolras' gaze on her. If she refused Marius' offer he might think she was jealous of Cosette and that's why she didn't want to spend time with her. She internally cursed the Amis for not allowing her a chance to speak to him alone, although she had had plenty of chances the past few days and hadn't taken them. She thought about saying she was too tired but she had already told them she felt fine. Besides, if she so much as yawned she knew Enjolras would throw her over his shoulder and carry her back to his bed in an instant. She _really_ needed to get out of the apartment, and shopping with Cosette was a small price to pay.

"Uhhh, sure, that sounds great!" she said with false enthusiasm. She caught Enjolras' eyes but his expression was unreadable. She realized they hadn't talked once about that night in the café or her "feelings" for Marius. She once again wished she hadn't been such a coward. The rest of the Amis looked surprised that she hadn't protested Marius' proposal.

Combeferre tried to break the tension. "Well let's get going then! The day awaits." The Amis cheered and were ready to rush out of the door, but Enjolras made them stop and wait 15 minutes so that Éponine could eat a proper breakfast.

On their way out the door Enjolras caught her arm and waved the other Amis forward, telling them they would be there in a minute. "Are you sure you're up for this?" he asked her quietly.

"Enjolras, the doctor said to rest for a few days, and that was four days ago. I've been fine and I've barely had any morning sickness. It will be alright."

Enjolras looked a little uncomfortable. "You know you don't have to go shopping with Cosette, I could probably get you out of it." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

Éponine felt guilty. "No, it's fine Enjolras. I should probably get to know Cosette better anyway if I'm going to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. Don't worry, go get drunk with your friends and have a good time, you've been way too stressed out lately."

"Well I'm not going to drink, it is a school night," Enjolras stated haughtily.

Éponine rolled her eyes before realizing the implications of his statement. "Wait," she said slowly. "If you are going to class tomorrow, does that mean I can go too?"

Enjolras sighed. "As long as you don't have morning sickness tomorrow and feel okay, I suppose it would be reasonable for you to return to class."

Éponine smiled. "Good, because if you had said no I would have been forced to sick Bahorel on you."

"Yeah well, I realize that I have kind of turned into that fascist dictator you accused me of being last week. Besides, I spoke at a woman's rally a few months ago. I think it would be a little hypocritical for me to deny a pregnant woman her education wouldn't it," Enjolras smiled.

Éponine stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "Seriously though, thank you for taking care of me these past few days, even if I was actually completely fine and for a while it felt like we were reenacting the movie _Misery_."

Enjolras looked thoughtful, "Does that make me Kathy Bates?"

Éponine just smiled at him mischievously and started to walk away.

"Hey, that's fine with me. She won an Oscar for that movie you know!" Enjolras said loudly at her retreating back before following her down the hallway.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The day turned out to be everything Éponine had hoped it would be.

They had walked through the park and Grantaire read out the descriptions of the art in a rather horrible imitation of Sebastian the crab. He even made Enjolras laugh the first time he did it, though Enjolras didn't see as amused by the thirty-seventh. She hadn't felt sick the entire day, except for a brief moment when she had had to sit down after walking by an Indian restaurant. Enjolras had almost picked her up and carried her back to the apartment before she could explain that it was just the smell that was making her feel sick. He relaxed after she had eaten her entire sandwich at lunch and managed to keep it down. The Amis hadn't even complained when Enjolras and Éponine spent two hours at the bookstore, although they finally dragged them out after the owner started shooting Grantaire dirty looks for singing out all of the book titles in an operatic voice. And they had avoided getting arrested at the country club because Enjolras had managed to give such an eloquent speech that the police officer got tears in his eyes and just let them off with a warning.

All in all it had been a pretty enjoyable day, but Éponine was not enjoying herself now. She felt like she was drowning in chiffon and lace. Marius had not specified that Cosette was going _wedding dress_ shopping. She watched Cosette try on yet another ridiculously poufy dress, which somehow still looked amazing on her.

"Éponine, I'm sorry about this. You must be exhausted. I told Marius I didn't mind going by myself but he insisted that you'd have a good time. And I really wanted to spend time with you, after all you are Marius' best friend," Cosette said sincerely.

"It's alright Cosette, I do like shopping," Éponine said. It was technically the truth, although she was usually in and out of a store as quickly as possible. When she was younger the only way for her to get new clothes was to shoplift. She had learned to find what she liked and what would fit her quickly and then get out. She was good at doing this for others too, as she had often lifted clothes for Gavroche, Azelma and her two little brothers. Thinking about them pained her a bit. They were spread out in foster homes and Éponine didn't get to see them very often. She sent them letters but their communication was spotty at best. She wondered if she should try to see them in person to tell them about the pregnancy, or just write it in a letter or email.

"Éponine?" she was broken out of her thoughts by Cosette's voice. "You look really tired and you had such a long day yesterday. Maybe we should head back?"

Éponine felt rude. Here Cosette was trying to bond with her and she was just staring off into space. She had disliked Cosette on principle for so long, but in reality the girl had never done anything to her. In fact Éponine found that she was actually a very sweet, kind-hearted person, just as Marius had always said in his romantic ramblings. She looked at the large number of dresses Cosette had already tried on and written off. Maybe she could do something nice for Cosette to make up for her past behavior. She decided to put her shoplifting expertise to good use.

"Give me ten minutes," Cosette looked a little confused but nodded her head and Éponine took off down the aisles. She quickly looked at every dress she could see, marking ones in her mind that Cosette might like. She soon found the perfect dress and smiled to herself. It was strapless and had flowers embroidered in pretty patterns on the bust while the skirt was poufy, as Cosette seemed to like, but not too poufy.

She returned to where Cosette was standing with the consultant who was helping her.

"Why don't you try this one on?" she asked. Cosette's eyes lit up when she saw the dress and she hurried into the dressing room. The dress consultant looked a little upset that Éponine had found a dress Cosette liked so quickly, when she had been helping her for an hour with no results.

Cosette emerged from the dressing room and Éponine practically gasped. She looked radiant; Marius wouldn't know what hit him. "I think this is the one!" Cosette exclaimed. She twirled around in front of the mirror. "I can't believe you found this so fast Éponine! I thought it would take multiple trips to different stores. Thank you so much, it's perfect! And it's within my budget."

She suddenly threw her arms around Éponine in a hug. "You're such a good friend," she exclaimed. Éponine smiled. She didn't have many female friends, and Musichetta was her only close one. Maybe it would be nice to have another.

Cosette pulled back. She looked at Éponine's stomach. She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Do you mind if I...?"

Éponine was surprised. No one had even seemed to notice her bump besides Enjolras. "Yeah, go ahead," she found herself saying.

Cosette placed her hand on her stomach. It was a little awkward, but Éponine figured she would have to get used to people feeling her stomach all the time.

Cosette pulled her hand back and smiled. "That's really amazing. I can't believe there is an actual life growing inside of you," Cosette said softly. "Is it scary?" she asked hesitantly.

"Well, at first I freaked out a little bit. I didn't plan for this obviously," Éponine found herself saying. "I actually thought about just getting rid of it. But now after everything, I can't really imagine a life without it," she said a little sadly. She couldn't believe she had just shared such personal information with Marius' fiancé.

Cosette smiled at her. "I'm glad everything turned out okay," she said softly. There was a bit of an awkward pause. "That baby is going to be beautiful by the way," Cosette said with a smile.

"Yeah, well with Enjolras' genes I don't think it is possible for the baby to be anything but," Éponine said with a smirk.

"Yes, he is rather handsome isn't he?" Cosette agreed. She paused for a second. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you two not together? I know he cares for you, you should have seen how worried he was for you at the hospital."

Éponine blushed a little. "He actually did tell me that he liked me, but I was an idiot and didn't respond. I couldn't understand why he would want to be with me of all people when he could have anyone he wanted. I still don't understand really..." Éponine trailed off.

Cosette looked thoughtful. "I think anyone who saw the two of you together would understand. But maybe it's not important that you know why he likes you. Maybe the only important thing is that you trust him. Do you trust Enjolras?"

"Yes," Éponine replied confidently, although she was unclear where Cosette was going with this. "I think I trust him more than I have ever trusted anyone."

"Then maybe you should just trust him when he says that he likes you, and trust that he does not want anyone else," Cosette replied simply.

Éponine was a little shocked. Cosette was so much more than she had ever given her credit for. She already felt a lot better. "Thanks Cosette, that was really helpful." She gave Cosette a genuine smile and Cosette returned it with one of her own. They were silent for a few moments until Cosette spoke up.

"You know what, you are going to get pretty big soon. We have a lot of time, why don't we go get you some maternity clothes?"

As much as Éponine did want to force Enjolras to go to the mall with her, she knew Cosette would probably be a better shopping partner. Besides, she had been having a little trouble buttoning up her jeans lately and she knew it would only get worse. She suddenly had a thought.

"Umm Cosette? I know when Marius asked me to be a bridesmaid you didn't know about the pregnancy and at your wedding I'm going to be about seven months pregnant. So, I would totally understand if you wanted to pick someone else," she said a little awkwardly.

"I don't care about that Éponine! If you don't mind standing at the altar while you are that pregnant then I don't mind either. Now let's go get you some maternity clothes! Let me just handle this dress situation..." Cosette muttered as she headed back into the dressing room to change.

Éponine smiled a little. She hadn't really wanted to be in the wedding in the first place but now it sounded kind of fun. She couldn't believe that she was becoming friends with Marius' fiancé. Éponine from six months ago would have never done that. Then again, Éponine from six months ago hadn't been very happy.

Maybe if she could get over her past aversion to letting people get close to her, she could also let go of her old, outdated insecurities.

Éponine returned to Enjolras' apartment two hours later with her arms full of bags. Cosette had offered to help her carry everything upstairs but Éponine had refused. She wasn't _that_ pregnant yet.

Éponine stood in front of the door. She knew that this was the moment she had been scared of for the past few days. She was going to get her feelings out, and she would finally get a response from Enjolras. She took a deep breath.

Éponine took out the spare key Enjolras had given her and unlocked the door.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Once again, thank you so much to everyone who is reading this story! Unfortunately, because of the insane amount of schoolwork I have this week I am not going to be able to update again until Friday. I just wanted to let you guys know since I have so far been giving you daily chapters. J91 asked me in the reviews whether or not I have completed the story yet and the answer is no. I have just always been a few chapters ahead of the uploaded chapters which is how I have been able to stay on top of everything and update so regularly. Hopefully on Friday I will be able to continue with the daily updates. This chapter seemed the natural spot for a little bit of a hiatus. I hope it tides you over until Friday. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 14

Éponine pushed open the apartment door and found Enjolras doing work at his desk. She noticed he looked very frazzled, and there were papers strewn all around him. Éponine frowned, it was unusual to see him this disorganized. He looked up when he heard the door close.

"Éponine thank god you are here! There is so much to do, I can't believe I didn't get started on this earlier!" Enjolras exclaimed, running his hands through his hair.

Éponine frowned, wondering if he had some big paper to write or a test. She put down her bags on the table. "What exactly are you talking about?"

"The baby Éponine! There's so much to do, arghh I should have started months ago." He sat down again and began pulling papers towards him.

"Enjolras, the baby didn't exist months ago... are you alright?"

Enjolras was now mumbling incoherently to himself as he began to scribble things down. Éponine thought she recognized a few of his patented color-coded pros and cons lists.

"No I'm not alright! There is so much to do. We need a crib and a stroller and baby clothes and a room for the baby and what color are we going to paint the nursery? We don't know the sex of the baby yet! And we need to baby-proof the apartment or both apartments, are we going to be living together? I don't want the baby in your apartment there is a weird mold growing on your shower curtain; I don't even think you should be living there. I tried cleaning it with bleach once and I think it grew more, how is that possible Éponine?_ What kind of mutant mold is growing on your shower curtain?" _he yelled with a flourish of his hands.

She wanted to comment on his weird behavior, but felt compelled to defend the state of her bathroom first. "Hey, that mold adds to the charm of my apartment. Does anyone else have mold on their shower curtain that changes color depending on the weather? I know when it's going to rain before the meteorologists do! And Joly thinks it might have medicinal qualities. Remember that time that Marius touched it by accident and all the freckles on his left arm disappeared for two days?" Éponine stopped talking when she realized that Enjolras was not listening to her, he was too busy making what looked to be a very extensive bar graph by hand using colored pencils.

It suddenly occurred to Éponine what was wrong. She had seen this kind of behavior from him before, though perhaps not to this extent. "Enjolras, are you drunk?"

Enjolras looked guilty. "No, I don't know. Maybe. Possibly. Probably. What is drunk anyway? Who are we to decide what drunk means? You know how I feel about labels Éponine. Just because I drank some beer and did a few shots and got us all kicked out of the bar does not mean you can label me as 'drunk'. I have a name you know, it is Sebastian Emmanuel Enjolras!" he finished with a triumphant grin on his face, as if he had made a moving speech. He picked up his colored pencils and began working on his graph again.

Éponine didn't know whether to laugh or groan. Some people were emotional drunks, others were fun drunks, some were sad drunks. Enjolras on the other hand was an organized drunk.

Most people didn't believe it until they saw it. That night he had cleaned her shower curtain had been at a party. He had found rubber gloves in her cabinet and gone through her entire apartment cleaning everything while everyone else danced and had fun. She had found him passed out in her bathtub the next day with an empty bottle of bleach and when she had woken him up he had only muttered, "It won't come off, why won't it come off?" He had once organized all of Jean Prouvaire's movies and books according to the Dewey Decimal System and on a separate occasion pulled up all of the weeds in Feuilly's backyard by hand. It had gotten to the point where people sometimes got him drunk on purpose so that he could do their housework. The only problem was that they could not control what he would try to organize. Éponine winced when she remembered how Enjolras had once tried to rearrange Cosette's underwear drawer by color and type of fabric. Luckily she had found him before Marius did and was able to undo the damage.

It seemed that right now he was trying to organize everything to do with the baby. Éponine was touched but also a little concerned, he might have bitten off more than he could chew this time. She tried to distract him with conversation.

"So why did you get kicked out of the bar?"

"I went behind the counter and tried to organize all of the alcohol by country of origin. Apparently the bartender didn't appreciate it." Enjolras muttered as he started working on another list. "What is your opinion on breastfeeding?" he said very seriously.

Éponine couldn't help but giggle at that.

"Éponine this is serious, I need to figure this out now. We only have a few months left and I can't screw this up," Enjolras said in a frustrated voice.

Éponine realized that this might not just be the drunken part of Enjolras talking anymore.

She walked into the kitchen and returned with a glass of water. She handed it to him. "You know Sebastian, this is not a book collection or an underwear drawer." She saw Enjolras blush a little. "This is the rest of our lives and you can't just figure it all out in one night. It's like you said to me when I told you I wanted to keep the baby. We'll figure this out, together. But it's going to take some time." Enjolras looked like he had sobered up a bit. He drank the water she had given him.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I just feel so unprepared right now and I want everything to be perfect for you and the baby."

"You mean for the three of us together," Éponine replied. Enjolras smiled but also looked a little confused.

Éponine thought about just telling him her feelings right then. But while she had made a lot of excuses the past few days, it probably truly wasn't a good idea to share her feelings with him while he was drunk. She felt a little disappointed.

"How about we clean up this mess and watch a movie or something until you calm down?" Éponine suggested. The only way to get Enjolras to stop drunk-organizing was to distract him.

Enjolras smiled. "I have the perfect movie," he jumped up and went into the kitchen. When he returned he handed her a DVD with a big grin on his face. Éponine laughed when she realized it was a movie called _The Blob_ from 1958. She read out the description on the back, "'An alien lifeform consumes everything in its path as it grows and grows.' Hmm that sounds strangely accurate."

Enjolras laughed. "Combeferre gave that to me tonight, he called it an early godfather present. Oh I forgot, I was also supposed to give you this note." He pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.

He started reading out the note in a pretty accurate impression of Combeferre's smooth, calming voice. "My dearest Éponine, I am truly sorry to leave you with this drunk, over-organized version of Enjolras but I have a huge paper due tomorrow and the rest of the Amis are too drunk to stay with him. I can only hope he will be of some use to you. Perhaps you can take him back to your apartment so he can get that mold off of your shower curtain? Good luck."

Éponine scoffed. "Why is everyone so obsessed with my shower curtain?" She mumbled to herself. A thought occurred to her. "How did they manage to get you so drunk on a school night anyway?"

Enjolras looked confused. "I'm not really sure... My beer bottle just never seemed to empty and then after a while doing shots suddenly seemed like a good idea to me."

Éponine giggled as she put the movie in. "You realize Grantaire probably kept refilling your beer while you weren't looking right?"

"Oh, that must be why he was hovering around me the entire night." Enjolras looked a little angry.

"Do you want me to release the video on him?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"No," he answered with an evil glint in his eyes. "I think we should save that for later. Besides, I like being able to lord it over him."

Éponine smiled as she sat down next to him on the couch. _Maybe I've been a bad influence_, she thought. She shrugged to herself and sat down next to him as the title screen came onto the TV.

By the time the credits started to roll Enjolras and Éponine had migrated towards each other. It had started innocently enough. About ten minutes into the movie Éponine had felt tired and leaned her head against Enjolras' shoulder. He shifted and put his arm around her, his hand at her waist. She found that she wasn't so tired anymore. She rested her hand on his chest. She could feel his muscles tighten as she did so. A few minutes later her breath hitched as she felt his hand on the bare skin at her hip where her shirt had ridden up. She had to bite her tongue to stop from gasping when he started drawing lazy patterns on her bare skin with his fingers. Éponine wondered how it was possible to be so comfortable yet feel so much tension at the same time.

Enjolras was having a similar problem. It was as if Éponine was invading his senses. She smelled like lavender, which he knew was from the shampoo that had mysteriously appeared in his shower a few weeks ago. Her hair was tickling his cheek but he didn't mind. She shifted and he felt her breasts press closer to his side. He realized that he was now breathing rather heavily. The hazy cloud that the alcohol had placed over his mind had long since disappeared and he felt highly alert, his mind clear. He wondered if he was having the same effect on her that she was having on him. He knew he shouldn't, yet he couldn't help but touch the skin at her waist. He heard her sharp intake of breath. He began to draw patterns with his fingertips. He could feel the tension he was creating in her body, he was having the same sensation as well.

They might as well have been watching static. Éponine could barely tell if the characters were speaking English. When the movie ended they hardly acknowledged it. They stayed in their positions, neither one breaking their silence.

Enjolras cleared his throat softly and Éponine lifted her head slightly so she was looking up at him. They caught each other's eyes. "Maybe we should go to bed," he said huskily, his voice low.

"I'm not tired," Éponine said. She spoke so softly that if it weren't for their close proximity he never would have heard her. They stared into each other's eyes, neither daring to move. After a few moments Éponine slowly reached up a hand and rested it on his cheek. He leaned into her touch.

"Éponine... I..." he trailed off as her fingers grazed his lips. She lifted her head up and softly pressed her lips to his. He responded almost immediately. It was slower than the last time but somehow felt more intimate. Éponine turned around so that she was practically sitting in his lap. His hands were moving up and down her back while her arms were around his neck, her fingers in his hair. After a few minutes they pulled away from each other's lips but stayed in their embrace, resting their foreheads together.

Enjolras sighed. "Éponine..." he started.

"No wait," she said. "Let me talk first." She knew the moment had finally come. She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "Last week, when you told me how you felt about me," Enjolras winced at the memory. "I didn't answer because I was scared, but it wasn't because I loved Marius." Enjolras looked surprised. "I haven't been in love with him for a while now. In fact I think I was more in love with the idea of Marius than anything else. He was the first nice person I really connected with when I got here and I kind of saw him as this vision of a better life for myself. But I was never really in love with him. Because how I saw Marius, as this flawless person, that's not even who Marius really is." Éponine stopped to take a breath.

"I think it was easy for me to love someone who wasn't really there, who could never love me back. And then you came along, or I guess you always were there. And just being with you, just talking or touching or joking around, it felt right. And you were kind and intelligent and passionate and sweet and amazing. And at the same time you were stubborn and a compulsive over-organizer and stressed out over the tiniest details, but I loved those parts of you just as much as the other parts. It's what made you a real person. And we created this little world together that only we knew about. And although I was terrified about the future, with you I felt like everything would turn out okay. And I started to feel so strongly for you. It crept up on me so slowly that I didn't even realize what I was feeling. And then you were standing in front of me, saying all of these wonderful things, and I believed you. And that scared me," Éponine said softly. She looked down and blushed. She was embarrassed about how insecure she could be. When she glanced back up Enjolras was looking deeply into her eyes, patiently waiting for her to continue. "I believed you when you said you wanted to be with me, but I didn't really understand why. No one has ever said things like that to me, or at least they never meant it. And I felt like it could never last, because eventually you'd get tired of me. Everyone always does." Éponine practically whispered. Enjolras looked a little sad at her words.

"Before I collapsed at the café, I realized how silly I was being. That I couldn't hide from my feelings just because they frightened me, that I didn't want to. And I've been trying to tell you how I felt the past few days, but there was this part of me that was terrified that you wouldn't feel the same way. That you changed your mind." Enjolras was staring at her with wide eyes, hanging on her every word. She knew there was no going back. "But Cosette said something to me today. She said that maybe the important thing was that I trusted you, that I trusted in your feelings for me. So that is what I am doing, because I do trust you Sebastian. I have never felt this strongly before about anyone, and I don't think I ever will. I want to be with you. I want us to be together. And so I am trusting you with my heart, I am trusting that you won't break it." Éponine finished. She had a nervous fluttering in her stomach.

Éponine felt exposed, like she had just given everything she had to him. Yet she also felt strangely calm. She felt safe in his arms, like nothing could go wrong. Enjolras smiled widely and placed his hand on her cheek. He pulled her in for a soft kiss, and she could tell from the feel of his lips on hers that he felt the same way. Her heart was pounding so hard that she was sure he could feel it too. He pulled away after a few seconds and met her eyes. He brushed some of the hair from her face tenderly.

"You can trust me Éponine, but you shouldn't feel that way about yourself," he said sincerely. "You are remarkable, and I don't know why you can't see it. Everything in your life you have accomplished on your own, without help. You could have ended up like your parents but you chose a better life for yourself." Éponine opened her mouth to protest but Enjolras held up his hand.

"I know you have done some bad things in your life, but the point is you didn't let where you came from hold you back. You didn't let it define your life. I know people have told you some terrible things about yourself, but they were wrong. You said you trust me, then trust me when I tell you this. You deserve everything you have, and more. There are a million reasons why I want to be with you. You have a kind heart but you aren't afraid to stand up for yourself. You are funny and witty and so smart, but you don't flaunt it like some people do. You are the only one I know who is more stubborn than I am, and the only one who can make me fear for my life with a single look. You are so strong. Definitely stronger than I am. And you are beautiful, both inside and out. I don't think I could ever get tired of you, if anything you will get tired of me. You are worthy of everything Éponine, you are worthy of love and you are worthy of happiness. Anyone who tells you differently doesn't deserve you. I don't even know if I deserve you. But if you're willing to have me, then I'll try to."

Éponine could feel tears on her cheeks. A small part of her told her not to believe him, but just by looking into his eyes she knew he meant every word. She hugged Enjolras tightly. She breathed in deeply and smiled. He smelled like home.

There was silence as they just held each other.

After a few moments, Éponine spoke up, her voice a little raw from crying. "I feel like you kind of hijacked my speech," she said softly.

Enjolras laughed lightly. Éponine felt his warm breath blow her hair slightly.

He pulled back and wiped away the tears that were drying on her cheeks. "So we are really doing this?" he asked softly. His eyes looked hesitant, as if he was afraid she would change her mind. She realized maybe she wasn't the only one with insecurities.

She kissed him softly. "Yes, I think we are," she replied confidently.

Enjolras smiled widely, his own dimples showing this time. He kissed her again. Éponine felt like she was floating. She felt his strong hands on her back, his lips moving against hers. She was so happy, but it was a different sort of happiness than she had ever felt before. She felt like she mattered. She felt _loved_. She realized they had not exchanged those three little words, but found that it didn't matter right now. She knew that she loved him, and she knew that he loved her back. For once in her life, she didn't need the proof right in front of her to know that it was true.

He moved his lips to her neck. She curled her toes in ecstasy at the contact. She struggled to form the words she wanted to say to him.

"Thank you," she breathed out.

He pulled himself back and looked her in the eyes. His eyes were cloudy with desire.

"For what?" he asked in a husky voice.

"For not giving up on me. For waiting all this time for me to figure out what should have been clear to me weeks ago. Maybe even years ago." Éponine said softly.

Enjolras smiled. "It was worth it." He put his hand on the side of her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. He looked her straight in the eyes, suddenly looking very serious. He spoke almost in a whisper, "You are worth it."

He kissed her gently, softly. Soon their lips picked up pace. Éponine felt like she could stay here forever, but at the same time she was hungry for more. She could feel that he was too. She peeled off his shirt slowly, enjoying how frustrated he becoming at being away from her lips for so long.

He responded by pulling her shirt off equally as slowly, making sure to touch as much of her skin as possible as he did so. After an eternity the shirt was over her head and their lips crashed together once more. His hands moved to her back, his fingers skimming the outline of her bra.

Éponine reached back and unhooked it herself, not wanting to wait for him to figure out the tricky clasp.

His eyes grew wide and his gaze moved up and down her body as her bra slipped to the ground. His eyes were so dark with desire that she could barely see the blue of his irises. She placed his hand on her body as his lips met hers once again. After that it wasn't long before Enjolras picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. This time when she reached for the zipper on his jeans, he didn't stop her.

It was nothing like she had ever experienced before. It wasn't rushed and rough like when she had been with Montparnasse. It wasn't a blur of tangled limbs like her first time with Enjolras had been. It wasn't even like that night in the café.

It was the best parts of those moments combined, and yet so much more. It was as if they could not be close enough or feel enough of each other. It was passionate yet also caring and gentle, as if they had all the time in the world. Yet most of all, it was loving. They could feel the love radiating off each other's skin. She felt it within his touch. He saw it within her smile.

When it was over they lay in each other's embrace, their bodies tired but their minds wide awake. They both realized that they had reached a certain point. Like they had been climbing a mountain for years and had just reached the peak. They had no way to climb back down without falling, and neither of them knew what to do now that they had finished climbing. But for now they were content to just sit at the top, enjoying the view together.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I'm back! Sorry for the wait. Enjoy!  
**

* * *

Chapter 15

The next morning Éponine awoke from a really good dream. She tried to close her eyes to get back to it as she felt her pillow move. _Wait, that doesn't sound right_. She opened her eyes again as the events of last night rushed back to her. She smiled at the memory. It turned out her "pillow" was Enjolras' chest. She turned her head and saw that she was smiling down at her. She realized that in this case reality was a lot better than her dream.

"Comfortable?" he asked with a smirk.

"Yes, very," she replied with a smile. She suddenly realized they were both completely naked. She found that she didn't mind. She lifted her head off his chest and scooted herself up the bed so that her head was on the pillow beside him. He brushed back some of her hair from her face. "Good morning," he said with an adorable half-smirk.

"Oh, you think so?" Éponine said with a fake frown on her face. "I think it's a little mediocre."

Enjolras smiled before leaning in and kissing her slowly. "What about now?" he asked as they pulled apart.

"Eh, it's okay I guess," she said dismissively, although she couldn't help the small smile that had appeared on her face.

He started to kiss down her neck. "And now?" he asked smiling up at her, before resuming his venture near her collarbone.

"I suppose I'd be willing to say it was a good morning, but not great," she said as a huge smile appeared across her face.

He looked up and raised his eyebrows at her, "Oh really?" he said with a bemused smirk before kissing past her collarbone, moving closer and closer to her breasts.

She giggled. "Alright, alright! It is the best morning I have ever experienced," she conceded.

He moved himself back up to his space on the pillow. "Do you really think so? Because I have experienced better," he said with a smirk.

She smacked him lightly on the arm as his smile grew. He leaned in to kiss her again. They stayed that way for several minutes, savoring each other's lips, until his alarm went off.

Enjolras moved to turn it off and when he turned around Éponine was pouting at him. "Do we have to go to class?" she asked with a hopeful look on her face.

Éponine realized the irony of the situation. A few days ago she had been dying to escape Enjolras' bed and now she never wanted to leave.

Enjolras rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "Unfortunately I think we have both missed enough class. And you have a paper to hand in," Enjolras stated somewhat sadly.

Éponine groaned as she moved to get up out of bed.

"You know," Enjolras said, the smirk back on his face. "After last night I could really use a shower, and I bet you could use one too. And wouldn't it be better for the environment if we conserved water and took one together?"

Éponine pretended to look thoughtful. "Well if it's for the environment, I guess I could take one for the team," she said.

He smiled widely as he took her hand and led her to the bathroom.

An hour and a half later– after breakfast, a little more kissing, and a shower that was way too long to be considered helpful to the cause of water conservation– they had finally made it to campus with ten minutes to spare.

They had reached the point where they had to go their separate ways but Enjolras seemed reluctant to let go of her hand.

"I only have two classes today, and we're both done at noon. I'll meet you at the Musain then, okay? My shift doesn't start till two so we'll have time to get lunch," Éponine said reassuringly. He still had not let go of her hand.

"Just promise me you'll take it easy today," he said with worry in his eyes. "And call me if anything happens."

"I promise," she said softly. She kissed him gently on the lips.

"Now get going, we're going to be late."

He finally let go of her hand. She noticed it felt very empty without his hand wrapped around it.

She gave him one last smile and then walked away. When she turned around, he was still standing there watching her retreating back with a sad look on his face. She gave him a pointed look and he finally turned away to head to class. She grinned in satisfaction for a second but then frowned. She already felt his absence.

A few hours later, Éponine arrived at the café before Enjolras. It looked like the lunch rush had quieted down a bit as Musichetta was standing at the counter inspecting her nails. She squealed when she saw Éponine and ran forward to hug her.

"Éponine! I'm so glad to see you. I wanted to go with you guys yesterday but I had to work! How do you feel? Are you alright? Are you sure you're okay to work later?" Musichetta asked in a rush.

Éponine reassured you that she was fine and followed her behind the counter to make her and Enjolras some lunch. As she made them sandwiches she shared with Musichetta the events of the last few days. When she finished describing the night before, obviously not going into too much detail, Musichetta squealed and hugged her again.

"I always knew you guys would be perfect together! This is so amazing!"

Éponine felt like she was suffocating a bit, but Musichetta's excitement was infectious and she couldn't help but smile. When Musichetta released her Éponine saw that she was crying.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing!" Musichetta said quickly, wiping her eyes. "I just have something in my eye," she said as she blew her nose on a napkin.

Éponine scoffed at her friend's antics. Musichetta might look like just a pretty blonde girl, but was one of the strongest women Éponine had ever known. However, she would break down crying at anything that had to do with romance. She had once started sobbing when they had passed a cute old couple holding hands on the street.

Éponine suddenly remembered something. She figured it would make Musichetta cry anyway so she should just ask her now.

"Musichetta? I didn't have a chance to ask you this before, since you didn't know about me being pregnant and all, but do you think you might want to be the godmother?"

Musichetta looked shocked. "Me? Really?" Her eyes filled up with even more tears. "Are you sure? Have you asked Enjolras about it?"

"Actually he was the one who suggested it," Éponine stated.

Just then the bell chimed above the door as Enjolras walked in. Musichetta immediately ran forward at him.

Enjolras made a sound of surprise as Musichetta suddenly barreled into him, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug.

Enjolras looked at Éponine in alarm, his arms pinned to his sides. Éponine chuckled to herself as she walked towards him, holding their sandwiches.

"I just asked Musichetta if she wanted to be the godmother. I think based on her reaction she has agreed," she told him.

Enjolras looked relieved as understanding dawned on his face.

Musichetta released Enjolras, much to his relief. She wiped her eyes. "Of course, I would love to be the godmother! Thank you so much for asking me!" She threw her arms around Éponine once again. She released her and regarded them both with tears in her eyes.

Enjolras looked a little taken aback by her sudden interest in staring at them fondly.

"I told Musichetta about, you know, us," Éponine clarified, blushing a little.

"Oh," Enjolras said simply. He was blushing a little too.

Musichetta started tearing up just looking at them. Éponine realized there was a line of customers forming at the counter, and pointed it out to Musichetta.

"Oh! I better get back to work," Musichetta said, her voice a little tight. She shot them one last fond smile before walking away.

Enjolras still looked a little shocked from Musichetta's attack hug. Éponine leaned forward and kissed him quickly on the lips, breaking him out of his reverie.

"Come on," she said, tugging on his arm. "I made us sandwiches." She led him towards the area in the back where the Amis usually sat, where was a couch and armchairs instead of the small tables that dotted the rest of the café. As they sat on the couch Enjolras intertwined their hands again. He looked like he was finally relaxing for the first time that day.

They chatted about their mornings as they ate their sandwiches one handed, neither willing to let go of the others hand. It was inconvenient, but neither of them seemed to mind.

Enjolras told her about how one of his professors, Professor Valjean– who was also Cosette's father– hadn't said anything about his absences from class, and had simply given him a knowing smile. Éponine supposed that Cosette had probably told him about what was going on.

"What about you?" he asked. "Do you think anyone knows from any of your classes?"

"Actually, a girl in one of my classes today was looking at me really critically. I couldn't tell if she suspected something or just thought I was gaining weight."

Enjolras looked at her carefully. "I think you do look pregnant. Your bump is a little bigger than it was before and you haven't gained weight anywhere else. No one only gains weight in their uterus," he said with a smirk.

He placed his hand on her stomach. She smiled at him and gave him a quick peck on the lips. When she pulled back he was looking at her intently. She found herself forgetting that she was at work, and in a public place. All she could see was how blue Enjolras' eyes were. She kissed him again, this time more than just a peck. She knew that Enjolras disliked PDA, but he responded with fervor to her kiss, seemingly forgetting where he was as well. She was unsure how long they had been kissing, though it had been for at least 30 seconds, when she heard a throat clearing.

They pulled back from each other and looked up, seeing almost all of the Amis standing over them. Some of them looked disturbed, others shocked, while a few– Combeferre and Grantaire specifically– were wearing knowing smiles on their faces. Éponine didn't even have to turn her head to see how beet red Enjolras had gotten. She could feel herself blushing as well.

Grantaire was the first one to speak up. "Well what do we have here?" he asked with an amused smirk on his face. He sat beside Enjolras on the couch. Éponine realized her and Enjolras were still sitting extremely close, their hands still slightly intertwined.

"I'm not sure Grantaire," Courfeyrac said in an overly shocked voice. He sat down beside Éponine. "I mean I know what it looked like, but our Enjolras? No, there must be some other explanation."

Grantaire pretended to look thoughtful. "I think I've got it!" He suddenly exclaimed. "Upright mouth to mouth resuscitation!"

"Hmmm, yes Grantaire that does seem like it is a possibility. But I'm thinking that Éponine was choking and Enjolras just doesn't understand how the Heimlich maneuver works," Courfeyrac responded.

"Yes, yes that does seem likely as well, but have you considered that he merely fell upon her face and was trying to extricate himself when we got here?"

"That is another possible scenario. But perhaps a snake bit her on the tongue and he was trying to suck out the venom?"

"Enjolras does like to play the hero. But maybe it is simpler than that. Perhaps he stole some of her food and she was just trying to get it back?"

"Éponine does like her food..."

"Okay, enough!" Éponine exclaimed while simultaneously glaring at Courfeyrac for his last comment.

"Yes, Enjolras and I are together, are you two happy?" she said loudly.

"Well, I'm happy about it!" Courfeyrac exclaimed. "I had this week, in case anyone forgot, now pay up!"

The rest of the Amis groaned and pulled out their wallets, each handing Courfeyrac forty dollars. Éponine and Enjolras stared at them in shock.

"Wait," Enjolras said carefully. "Did you guys place bets on when we would get together? How long has this been going on?"

"About six months. We each picked a couple of random weeks in the year," Courfeyrac replied while stroking his money. "Bossuet had the week of Marius' engagement party, and he thought he deserved the money. But our bet was on when you two would start dating, not when you would drunkenly conceive a child. Tough luck for him."

Éponine watched as Enjolras face became more and more red, his mouth struggling to form words in his anger.

Grantaire, however, was eyeing Éponine carefully. "Now remember Éponine," he sputtered, looking nervous. "We all took part in this! So it would be unfair, nay, _unjust_ to punish just one of us for it."

To the surprise of everyone in the room, including Éponine, she burst out laughing. Everyone just stared at her. They had been expecting one of her patented angry outbursts. For some reason though, she just couldn't find it in her to be angry.

"Umm Éponine?" Enjolras asked hesitantly, looking flabbergasted. "What is so funny?"

Éponine wiped at the tears of laughter streaming down her face. She managed to stop her laughter after a few moments in order to speak. "It's just that..." she managed to get out between while gasping for air. "All this time, I've thought that Marius has been so oblivious, but apparently we have too, me especially, if the rest of the Amis have known for months."

Enjolras still looked confused, but a little less mad. It was hard to stay angry while he was watching her laugh.

"Hey guys, is everything all right over here?" Musichetta asked, having wandered over from the counter at the sound of Éponine's hysterical laughter.

"Yes, everything is more than fine," Courfeyrac answered with a smile. "And I have a feeling you know why," he stated expectantly. He held out his hand.

Musichetta sheepishly pulled out a few bills and handed them to Courfeyrac.

"You too?" Enjolras asked disbelievingly.

"I'm sorry you guys! But it seemed like a good bet. I knew you guys would get together eventually, so why not possibly get some money out of it? I'm sorry, please don't take away my godmother status!" she exclaimed. She scurried away before either Éponine or Enjolras could answer. This was probably a good thing, as a line was once again growing at the counter.

Courfeyrac looked visibly disappointed. "You already made Musichetta godmother? I wanted to be godmother..."

"Well, I have to get to work," Éponine said, ignoring Courfeyrac's comment. She leaned towards Enjolras and kissed him soundly on the mouth. She pulled away after a few seconds, looking satisfied with herself. Enjolras looked perplexed. She grabbed a few of the bills out of Courfeyrac's hands.

"It's a finders fee," She explained amid his cries of protest. "I'll consider it a generous donation to the blob foundation," she said loudly as she sauntered away to the counter.

Combeferre and Enjolras snickered while everyone else just looked confused.

"What did she mean when she said I was oblivious?" Marius asked, puzzled.

Everyone shook their heads at him and scoffed. Marius just looked more confused.

"Wow, Enjolras," exclaimed Jean Prouvaire. "That's some girlfriend you've got there."

"Yeah," said Enjolras, smiling at Jean Prouvaire's use of the word girlfriend. His eyes followed Éponine as she put her apron on at the counter, smiling as she chatted with Musichetta. "She really is something, isn't she?"


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Éponine tried to button her pants, but to no avail. She had been able to do it yesterday and was not willing to accept defeat. She grunted at the effort of bringing those two stupid pieces of fabric closer together. She could get them about a centimeter apart, but they wouldn't budge further than that.

She looked up and saw Enjolras smirking at her from where he was sitting on his bed fully dressed.

"Éponine, I don't think it's going to work," he said calmly.

"Just give me one more minute, I can do this," she grunted as she pulled harder on her jeans.

She heard the bed move as he stood up and walked towards her. She felt his hand at her shoulder.

"Éponine?" he said softly. He held up a bag of maternity clothes she had bought with Cosette a couple weeks before. "I think it's time," he said solemnly.

He meant it as a joke, so he was a bit taken aback when Éponine burst into tears. He recovered quickly though as he led her to the bed. He sat her down and looked her in the eyes while he wiped her tears away with his thumbs. "What's wrong?"

"These are my favorite jeans, and now they don't fit. And now I know I won't be able to wear them for months until the baby comes and then I'll probably be too fat from the baby weight and then I'll probably never lose the baby weight so I'll never be able to wear them again," Éponine said in a rush, tears streaming down her cheeks. She laid her head on his shoulder as she let out a small sob.

Enjolras kissed her forehead and rubbed her back as she cried. A few months ago he would have been deeply concerned if Éponine had come to him crying about a pair of jeans, but he found he wasn't fazed by her behavior. In the past week, Éponine had been crying about everything, from things she saw on TV to Grantaire's stupid comments to mugs breaking at the Musain. She cried when she was sad, she cried when she was happy, she cried when she was angry. Basically she was averaging about five to seven crying spells a day. Éponine knew it was just the hormones going a little crazy, but she was always embarrassed when she stopped crying. Just the day before she had been so embarrassed by her crying that she had started crying again. Enjolras didn't mind her crying spells as much as she probably thought he did. He thought any pregnancy symptom was better than her gagging over a toilet.

He heard Éponine sniffle as her tears started to slow down. "I thought you were happy that you actually look pregnant now?" Enjolras said gently. Éponine was now at 15 weeks and her baby bump was fairly prominent. It would still be easy to hide if she wanted to, but it was visible when she didn't wear baggy clothes.

"I do like looking pregnant," she sniffled. "It's just that I really like those jeans too."

"Okay," Enjolras reasoned. "Well, why don't we put the pants in a drawer for now and then it will be something to look forward to when the baby comes. The pants aren't dying, they're just going on vacation for a while."

He heard Éponine giggle slightly and smiled to himself. The only way to really get Éponine to stop crying was to wait it out, which could take a while, or to make her laugh.

She lifted her head his shoulder and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me," she muttered.

"It's okay, those jeans were my favorite too. I'm really going to miss them. Maybe we should have a going away party? You know, just to relive the good memories we all shared," Enjolras said with a smirk.

Éponine swatted at his arm but smiled widely.

"Thanks for putting up with me and my incessant crying," she said softly.

He kissed her forehead, "I consider it an honor to put up with you and your incessant crying."

Éponine felt her eyes tear up at his sweet words, but willed herself to reel it in. She didn't want to lose it twice in a span of fifteen minutes. She took a deep breath and begrudgingly opened the bag to take out a pair of stretchy maternity pants. She decided that she would not cry for the rest of the day, no matter what.

She made it four hours.

Éponine was walking hand in hand with Enjolras in the library, looking for a book for one of her classes. They were searching through the stacks when a librarian came over to help them. He was a kind, older man and was able to help them locate the book within minutes. After Enjolras thanked him he told them it was his pleasure.

He glanced knowingly at Éponine's stomach.

"When are you due?" He asked with a kind smile on his face.

Éponine immediately burst into tears.

The man looked horrified. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were..."

Enjolras was quick to clarify. "No, she is pregnant." The man looked relieved.

"I'm not really sure why she's crying right now. I think she might be... happy? Is that it Éponine, are you happy?" He looked at Éponine expectantly.

Éponine nodded through her tears.

Enjolras let out a sigh of relief. "I think she's happy because you are the first stranger to recognize that she was pregnant," he said with an apologetic look on his face as he rubbed Éponine's back, her head on his shoulder.

The librarian gave Enjolras an apologetic look as well. "I have three children, and I was by my wife's side for every one of them. I understand. Good luck my friend, you'll need it."

He patted Enjolras on the shoulder and walked away. Enjolras was a little dazed by his comment.

To his relief Éponine had managed to stop crying on her own.

"I'm sorry, I was just so excited that someone finally asked me that I was pregnant," Éponine sniffled, wiping at the drying tears in her eyes. "I can't wait for these stupid hormones to go away," she said somewhat angrily. "I just keep crying at everything and I can't help it. And I hate crying in public. I must look so pathetic," Éponine looked downtrodden.

Enjolras bumped her shoulder against his. "Hey, you are not pathetic. You're just... really in touch with your emotions at the moment," he said with a smirk.

"Enjolras," Éponine said with a disbelieving look on her face. "Today I cried over a pair of jeans. No one should ever be that in touch with their emotions.

"Well you didn't cry about the jeans, you cried about how you wouldn't be able to wear them anymore. So that's... better," he finished weakly.

"Yeah, not really. But I appreciate the effort in making me feel better." She kissed him on the cheek. "You're a good boyfriend."

Enjolras smiled at that. He looked very pleased with himself and was blushing a little. It was so cute that she wanted to jump him right there. She knew it was probably the hormones talking but the urge was just so strong. Then she remembered that they were in the library and that was not appropriate behavior. And then she realized that they were in the _library_, so maybe it was.

"You know, we found my book so we have a little time before I have to go to work..." Éponine said with a sly smile.

"What do you have in mind?" Enjolras asked.

"Let's just say having all of these hormones is not always such a bad thing," she said mysteriously as she led him further and further into the stacks, near an area that was seldom visited by the student body.

"Umm," Enjolras looked at the books around him. "So you want to spend our extra time reading books about the history of tax law?"

"Not exactly," Éponine said innocently.

Understanding dawned on Enjolras' features. "Éponine," he said incredulously, his neck going very red. "We can't do that here!"

"I don't mean _that_. But we could have a little bit of fun, everyone else does it."

Enjolras looked a little lost for words. "Éponine, everyone else does it is not a reasonable excuse for doing something. The library is a place of learning, we can't just disgrace it..." his words trailed off a little as she started kissing up his neck. "Books... books are about... knowledge... knowledge is... important," he realized he was repeating his words but he suddenly couldn't really remember what he was talking about. Éponine reached his lips and he gave in as she pushed him against one of the stacks.

They only separated fifteen minutes later when they heard footsteps. The kind librarian from earlier rounded the corner a few moments later and found them both flushed, hair in disarray. Enjolras was frantically trying to button up his shirt while Éponine was trying to put her cardigan back on over her skewed tank top.

The librarian raised his eyebrow at them but didn't say anything.

"You know Enjolras... I have to get to work. We should probably go," Éponine said quickly.

"Yeah, uh-huh," Enjolras responded. He was mortified and tried not to make eye contact with the librarian as they hurried past him. Nevertheless the librarian gave him a pat on the shoulder and a knowing smile on their way out of the stacks. He thought he heard him murmur, "Young love," under his breath while they frantically rushed to the exit.

Once they were outside of the library Éponine burst out laughing.

"Éponine that wasn't funny," Enjolras said sternly. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to show my face in there again." But the corners of his mouth turned up a tiny bit.

Éponine just kept laughing. "Come on it was a little funny," she said between bursts of laughter. "You should have seen the look on your face."

Enjolras tried to keep his face serious but her laughter was starting to get to him a little. He smiled. "Okay maybe it was a little funny." He let out a soft chuckle, then a few more, and before long he was holding his stomach and laughing hysterically along with her.

After a few minutes and a lot of weird glances from students passing them on their way into and out of the library, they calmed down.

Éponine looked at Enjolras and giggled. "You missed a button," she informed him.

He looked down and realized that in his rush to button his shirt he had in fact missed a button and his shirt was uneven because of it.

She giggled as she fixed his shirt. "I don't think I've ever seen you looking this disheveled before."

"Hey, you're looking pretty unkempt as well," he said with a raised eyebrow, pointing at the place where her tank top had fallen down a little, revealing the top of her bra.

She scoffed and pulled her tank top up. She found herself giggling again at the whole situation. Enjolras began to chuckle along with her a little.

She grabbed his hand. "Come on, I really am going to be late for work," she said as she pulled him away from the library entrance.

A few hours later Enjolras was sitting in the Musain, furiously planning for a rally about the difference in the quality of the public schools in the poorer areas of the city compared to the richer areas. He was giving a passionate speech to the Amis about all children getting the education they deserved when Courfeyrac started snickering at him.

"Is something funny Courfeyrac?" Enjolras asked irritably.

Courfeyrac giggled a little. "It's nothing you're saying Enjolras, I completely agree with you. It's just... Is that a hickey?" He pointed at a spot above Enjolras' collarbone, which was visible because Éponine had left the top few buttons of his shirt undone when she had fixed it for him. Enjolras glanced down and realized that he did indeed have a hickey there. He knew he probably had a few others as well that were not as visible.

Enjolras could not stop his face from going bright red, and the Amis took this as his answer as they burst out laughing.

"I guess his skin is not made out of marble after all," Grantaire commented. This only made the Amis laugh harder.

Enjolras tried to get them back on track but it was to no avail. He just sat there as he waited for them to calm down, getting more and more frustrated that they were not taking his cause seriously.

It took an hour before the Amis were able to calm down enough to get back to their strategizing, and even then a comment would slip in every few minutes, causing the Amis to snicker. Éponine watched this all unfold with guilt. She wished she had been a little less aggressive in the library.

Courfeyrac came up to the counter a little while later.

"Hey Éponine!" he smiled. "I'll have a vanilla latte." Éponine turned from him and prepared his drink. She handed it to him and he gave her a few coins.

"I have to say Éponine, for a while I thought you and Enjolras might be playing a really elaborate joke on us but I can actually see the bump now. It's actually pretty cool," Courfeyrac said somewhat wistfully.

Éponine suddenly burst into tears.

"What? What did I say? I didn't really think you and Enjolras were faking it or anything, that was just a joke!" Courfeyrac said in a rush.

Éponine kept sobbing. "You think... you think that I'm fat?"

Courfeyrac looked horrified. "No, no, of course not! I just meant that I can see the bump! You aren't fat you are just pregnant! I mean the rest of your body doesn't look pregnant, just the part where the baby is!"

Éponine kept sobbing and Courfeyrac began to panic. He looked around and saw the Amis staring at him. Luckily, Enjolras seemed to have gone to the bathroom. Unfortunately, Bahorel was looking straight at him, and rather menacingly. He walked towards the counter.

"What's going on here?" Bahorel asked in an angry voice.

"It's nothing Bahorel... it's just I told Éponine that I could tell she was pregnant... I mean that I could see that she had a bump and she thought I was calling her fat but I wasn't! I swear! I think she has a great body! I mean, I would definitely tap that!" Bahorel's face grew red with rage at Courfeyrac's last comment.

"I meant that as a compliment I swear!" Courfeyrac exclaimed. He shut his mouth as he realized he should probably stop talking.

Bahorel looked like he was ready to start swinging fists when Éponine spoke up. Her tears had slowed down a little and she was wiping her eyes. "It's fine Bahorel, don't worry. I just misunderstood him. It's my hormones you know?"

Bahorel nodded and gave Courfeyrac one last glare before walking away, trying to curb his anger.

Courfeyrac was frozen in place with fear. He turned towards Éponine who was still sniffling a bit. When he made eye contact with her it was as if he had hit a switch. Her tears stopped abruptly and her eyes went from being wide with sadness to being narrowed with anger.

"Stop making fun of Enjolras," she said threateningly. "You know he's a really private person and you are embarrassing him. Not to mention this rally is really important to him."

Courfeyrac was speechless. "Did you just... was that all an act?"

Éponine looked pleased with herself.

"Éponine... that was impressive! And... terrifying," Courfeyrac stated in amazement.

"And don't you forget it," Éponine said ominously. She turned to the next customer and pasted a large, genuine looking smile on her face. Courfeyrac found that he was now legitimately frightened of her.

Courfeyrac walked back to the rest of the Amis in a daze. They tried to ask him what had just happened but he just stared into space in shock. Enjolras had returned by now and was trying to get the Amis back on track. Joly started making a comment about the medical dangers of hickeys when Courfeyrac snapped at him to stop.

"This is really important okay? We need to stop fooling around," he said seriously.

The rest of the Amis stared at Courfeyrac in shock. They had never heard him lecture anyone about doing their work. He was usually the one distracting them. Enjolras gave him an impressed nod. Courfeyrac turned to look at Éponine and she gave him a sly smile and a wink.

Enjolras was pleasantly surprised when the Amis actually did their work that night, and no one made any more comments about any marks on his neck. He was a little perplexed as to why Courfeyrac had shuddered when Éponine had walked over to refill his coffee, but he was in such a good mood about all of the progress they had made that he didn't even question it.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Éponine swung her legs back and forth as she sat on the cold exam table.

"Éponine, you don't need to worry, it's going to be fine," Enjolras said calmly, though he was a little anxious himself. Éponine was now 16 weeks pregnant and they were having an ultrasound to see if she still had placenta previa.

Éponine nodded but didn't look up. She had her hands on her now fairly prominent baby bump and was staring at it as if she had x-ray vision. Enjolras pulled his chair closer to the table and took her hand. "Hey, whatever happens we'll get through it alright? Even if there is still a problem it doesn't mean the baby is necessarily in trouble, it just means we'll have to be extra careful."

To his surprise Éponine looked up at him in horror instead of relief.

"What?" he asked, alarmed.

"I've seen your careful. I don't even want to know what your extra careful looks like," she said, shuddering.

Enjolras rolled his eyes but was glad to see a small smile appear on Éponine's face. He squeezed her hand, and she squeezed his in return.

The door opened as Dr. Moore strode into the room. "Éponine, Sebastian. I'm glad to see you under more normal circumstances." She smiled at them as she began rolling the ultrasound machine towards the exam table. She looked at Éponine's chart. "Everything seems fine right now, and your weight is normal. But we will need to do the ultrasound before I can make any conclusions. How has everything been? No further complications I hope. And the morning sickness has subsided?" Enjolras felt a little embarrassed as he remembered the panicked conversation he had had with her on the phone a few weeks ago.

"Yes, I've barely felt nauseous at all. And I haven't had any cramping or bleeding," Éponine responded.

"That's a very good sign," Dr. Moore said with a smile. "Any severe mood swings or changes in behavior?" she asked.

"Nothing severe. Just a lot of... crying over nothing," Éponine said, blushing a little.

"That is very normal behavior in pregnancy. You should find that your mood swings will start to become less frequent soon."

"That's good," Enjolras responded. Éponine glared at him. "What, it is!" he responded. "I know how embarrassed you get when you start crying over spilled milk. Literally, you actually cried when a customer spilled milk the other day."

"It was a coffee, not milk, and it was hot. And they spilled it on _me_," Éponine clarified in a seething voice, still glaring at him. But she did have to admit that he was right, as usual. When she had lived with her parents she had walked by drug dealers and prostitutes on her way to school and fallen asleep to the calming sounds of screams and gunshots. She could take beatings from her father without batting an eyelash, let alone allowing a tear to fall. But now, she cried when reading a magazine article about two celebrities, who she didn't even like, getting a divorce. It was pathetic.

Dr. Moore seemed to notice the very obvious tension in the air. "Well let's start the ultrasound shall we?" She kept talking as she was setting up the machine, making up for the silence that filled the air, born both out of Éponine's annoyance and both her and Enjolras' nerves. "So would you two like to know the sex of the baby?" she said cheerfully as she put gel on the ultrasound probe, gently placing it on Éponine's stomach. Éponine and Enjolras both answered at the same time.

"Absolutely," replied Enjolras confidently.

"Definitely not," Éponine said with a scoff.

They both looked at each other in surprise at their differing responses.

"How could you not want to know the sex of the baby? How are we going to prepare for everything if we don't know whether it's a girl or a boy?" Enjolras asked incredulously.

"Why would you want to know? Isn't this nature's one last great surprise?" Éponine responded. She sounded a little angry.

"I hate surprises," Enjolras responded shortly. They stared at each other, each willing the other to concede. It became clear that this was one instance in which their stubborn dispositions would not mesh well.

"Well it actually is a little early to determine the sex. Sometimes it is possible around this time, but usually only if the fetus is in the correct position. That doesn't seem to be the case, so you two have time to talk about this until your next ultrasound," Dr. Moore stated calmly.

At the word ultrasound Éponine's head quickly swiveled to the doctor as she remembered why they were there in the first place. Her brow furrowed with anxiety as she realized that Dr. Moore was looking intently at the ultrasound. Enjolras seemed to notice this as well as his stubborn scowl was replaced by a look of concern. He squeezed her hand again, their arguments forgotten at the moment. Éponine responded by gripping his hand so hard that she cut off his circulation.

Dr. Moore smiled. "It appears that your placenta has moved towards the top of your uterus and looks to be in the correct place. You no longer have placenta previa. You are young and healthy, and so there is little reason to believe that this will become a problem again. The measurements I have taken of the fetus with the ultrasound are average and everything appears healthy."

Relief filled Éponine at the news and she turned to Enjolras with a huge smile on her face. Enjolras was smiling widely as well. She had the urge to kiss him but felt it might be inappropriate considering Dr. Moore was moving a probe around her stomach. He seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he lifted their joined hands and gave hers a tender kiss.

Dr. Moore swiveled the machine around so that they could see the screen. This time she didn't need to explain what they were looking at. Éponine's heart skipped a beat as she realized the blob was now baby-shaped. It had a body and a head and arms and legs and fingers and toes. She could even see the silhouette of it's face. Dr. Moore was pointing out different parts of the body to them and Éponine nodded along, but she was having a hard time listening. All she could think about was the fact that there was a small human growing inside of her. It all felt unreal, like this was just a very vivid dream. She was glad Enjolras was holding on tightly to her hand, keeping her grounded in this reality. Enjolras looked a little awestruck himself. He was just staring at the screen intently, as if he were poring over one of his maps.

Éponine barely spoke two words the rest of the appointment. Dr. Moore gave them two more ultrasound images and started talking about the next few steps they would have to take. Éponine hoped Enjolras was listening, because she definitely wasn't.

Before she knew it she was in the car and Enjolras was looking into her eyes. She realized they were in the parking lot connected to his apartment building. She didn't even recall leaving the appointment room. She must have been on autopilot or in a fugue state or something.

"Éponine?" Enjolras' blue eyes were staring straight into hers. She blinked and shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the fog that had been haunting her for the past half hour. "Yes?" she answered, trying not to sound like she had just awoken from a coma.

Enjolras looked relieved. He smiled. "I thought I lost you for a second there. You barely spoke when we left the doctors office and then you spent the whole car ride staring out the window not saying a word. I even put on my audio book for _Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire _just to get a rise out of you but you didn't react. That's when I got really worried."

"Don't worry. I'm fine," she assured him as she moved to take off her seat belt. In truth she was a little worried that she had just lost a half hour of her life and could not even remember what she had been thinking about. Now that she was aware of her surroundings again she could hear her heart beating in her ears. She felt panicky, but her thoughts were so jumbled that she couldn't even figure out what she was freaking out about.

Enjolras gave her an odd look and she began to walk towards the stairs to prove that she was alright, even though internally she felt anything but.

She tried to act normally for the rest of the night, but she didn't succeed very well. There was just this gnawing pit in the bottom of her stomach. She still couldn't pinpoint what exactly was making her so nervous, but she knew it had something to do with the ultrasound. In truth she didn't try very hard to figure out what was wrong, she had a feeling she didn't want to know.

So she acted like she was fine and she made small chat at dinner and she pretended that her nerves did not make her dinner taste like chalk in her mouth. It wasn't till late, when they were getting ready for bed, that it suddenly hit her all at once. It was as if a train had just slammed into her, knocking the wind from her lungs. And once she recognized what was wrong, she realized that she had been avoiding thinking about this for weeks now. With everything that had happened with the baby and with her and Enjolras she had pushed the thought from her mind. But seeing the ultrasound today, seeing that there really was a baby and not just a blob, she knew she couldn't run from this idea anymore. It was engrained onto every synapse of her brain, and she knew it wasn't going away.

She was going to be a mom.

There was an actual person inside of her. She was going to have to give birth to that tiny person and then she would be responsible for it. She would have to feed it and clothe it and comfort it and love it. She would be responsible for it, for another human being, for the rest of her life. Sure, she had taken care of her siblings, but that had been different. Azelma and Gavroche had been practically self-sufficient, even at their young ages, and they had helped her with her two little brothers all the time. And her mother had still been there, even as useless as she was.

Thinking about her mother only made Éponine panic more. How the hell was she going to be a mother when she had never even seen a good one in action? How was she supposed to know what to do? Who was she supposed to ask? Books could only take her so far, no matter what Enjolras believed.

How was she supposed to deal with a tiny baby that depended on her for everything? And then it would grow into a child. How was she supposed to give it a good childhood? She hadn't truly been a child since she was seven. She had spent the little childhood she did have spoiled and pampered, and that was not a model she wanted to follow either. And she had not had the time or privilege to be an emotional adolescent or an angsty teenager. How would she know how to deal with these things? How could she be a mother if she had never experienced any of this? What poor child was going to be stuck with her as a mother?

Éponine felt like she was going to hyperventilate. Maybe she actually was hyperventilating, because Enjolras was watching her, eyes full of concern, from across the room where he was getting changed. He quickly walked to the bed and sat next to her as he took one of her hands.

"Éponine, I know that you say you are fine but clearly you are not. You've been acting weirdly since the ultrasound. I know you don't like to talk about the things that are bothering you, I don't either, but you have looked stressed out all day. It won't do you or the baby any good to keep everything bottled up inside," he said gently.

And suddenly, irrationally, all of the panic that had built up inside of Éponine over the past few hours turned into a white-hot rage. She had a second of clarity where she knew that it was just her hormones and that anger was not the right emotion to be experiencing at this moment. But it was only a second, and then she stood helpless as a tidal wave of fury swept over her, wiping all rational thought from her brain.

Éponine pulled her hand out of his grasp and stood up. "It won't be good for the _baby_?" she sneered. Enjolras immediately looked taken aback by her tone. "You don't think I know what's good for the baby? It is growing inside of me you know. You think I'm going to be a horrible mother don't you?" Éponine spit out, voicing her own insecurities.

Enjolras looked horrified. "Of course not Éponine, I think you're going to be a great mother..."

"Don't lie to me!" Éponine practically screamed. "You are always so honest with Grantaire and Marius and the rest of the Amis. Why do you have to lie to protect my feelings? Am I that pathetic?" Éponine shouted.

Enjolras looked worried. He stood up and took a few steps towards her. "Éponine," he said calmly. "I'm not lying to you. I'm telling you the truth. Those people that told you all those horrible things about yourself that you still seem to believe, they were the liars."

"Who? You mean my parents? The ones in jail you mean? What great grandparents this kid is gonna have. You are right, my parents were liars and thieves and they never cared about anybody but themselves. Who's to say I'm any better? They did raise me you know, I am their daughter. They were the only parents I knew, how am I supposed to do a better job than them when I have nowhere to start?" Éponine asked in a rough tone. She had angry tears in her eyes.

"Éponine, I told you before. It doesn't matter where you come from; it's where you are going. And you are nothing like your parents." Enjolras said calmly. He walked towards her slowly, as if scared he might frighten her away. She backed up.

"Even if I was a sixteenth like them that would already be too much. And I could be the greatest person in the history of the world and it still wouldn't change the fact that I have no idea what I'm doing. I have no idea how to take care of a baby. And even if I manage that, I have no idea how to take care of a child, or an adolescent, or a teenager. It's going to be depending on me for everything and I'm going to fail," she said in a rush. She looked more panicked than anything at the moment but her anger was still there, bubbling beneath the surface.

Enjolras managed to get close enough to her to take her hand again. "Éponine, I have no idea what I'm doing either, but like I said we'll figure that out together."

"That's easy for you to say, you are going to be a great father," she spit out, somehow making it sound like an insult. "You are charismatic and a leader and you always know the right thing to do. The baby is going to idolize you if it is a boy and adore you if it is a girl. If it is a girl she is going to resent me for not understanding her and if it's a boy he will be ashamed of me because of how useless I am."

Enjolras looked thoughtful for a moment. "Is that why you didn't want to know the sex of the baby today, because you were scared?" he asked gently.

"No Enjolras," she yelled, looking slightly vicious. "I don't want to know the sex of the baby because I want one thing in my life to be a happy surprise. I want that stupid cheesy moment in all those movies where the doctor yells 'It's a boy' and the mother and the father are happy and everyone is smiling and everything is perfect. That's how it's supposed to be. Can't one thing in my life be how it's supposed to be?" Her eyes had softened a bit. Enjolras tried to answer her but she beat him to it as her eyes hardened again.

"But no, because everything has to always be organized with you. You have to be in control of every little thing. But you can't organize everything Enjolras! Not everything can fit into a pros and cons list. I can't fit into a pros and cons list!" Éponine yelled.

Enjolras looked a little sheepish for a second, and Éponine noticed. Her eyes narrowed.

"You put me in a pros or cons list didn't you," she said in a deadly whisper.

Enjolras looked guilty. He struggled to find the right words to calm her down. "Éponine, you don't understand, I made that list..."

Éponine cut him off. "I don't want to listen to your excuses! I guess I should be flattered that I had more pros than cons huh? What was in the cons side? She's a pathetic gutter rat who isn't good enough for me. I'm guessing what pushed the pros over the edge was that I am easy to get into bed," Éponine spit out, her eyes livid. She quickly left the bedroom.

Enjolras was frozen in place for a moment before he went to follow her. He left the bedroom as she opened the front door.

"Éponine, it's midnight and you're wearing a nightgown. You can't go out right now. It's December, you'll freeze," Enjolras said anxiously.

Éponine glared at him and started walking out the door. He grabbed her arm with one hand as she stepped into the hallway, holding the door open with the other.

"Éponine..." he started. He sounded exasperated.

She gave him a cold look. "Fine, I'll stay here then. You can leave." She marched back in the room and before Enjolras could react the door was slammed in his face.

Enjolras tried turning the doorknob a few times but it was locked. He knocked and called her name through the door but he got no response. He couldn't believe he had just gotten kicked out of his own apartment.

He had never seen Éponine act that way. He supposed her hormones were having one last hurrah before they quieted down for the next few months. He took out him phone, grateful he hadn't had the chance to change out of his jeans before Éponine had begun her mood swing.

Enjolras called Combeferre, but he didn't pick up. He figured Combeferre was probably sleeping. Enjolras texted him to stop by in the morning with the extra key before his first class, hoping that Éponine would let him in before that.

Enjolras slid down the door to a sitting position. He didn't really know what to make of everything that had just happened. He wasn't good with dealing with emotions at all, let alone such powerful ones. He knew that he probably could have handled that situation better. This whole fight had been born out of her idea like she would be a horrible mother, and he hadn't even been able to reassure her about that. Then he had only made it worse by asking about the sex of the baby and letting it slip about the pros and cons list. He hadn't even been able to explain himself. Guilt rose in his chest as he realized he had only made her feel worse. Now she not only felt bad about herself but also felt like she couldn't trust him.

He decided that he would fix things, right now. He stood up and knocked lightly on the door. "Éponine," he called out softly, trying not to awaken the few neighbors that had not heard their fight. "I'm not leaving, so you should just let me in so we can talk about this." She didn't answer. "I'm serious. I'll sleep in the hallway if I have to."

After a few moments he heard the soft patter of her feet on the floor. Relief flooded through him as he realized he could fix this. She opened the door and he saw one glimpse of her angry expression before the blanket she was holding was thrown in his face, followed by one of the couch pillows. She slammed the door again.

Enjolras sighed, unsure if this was a good sign or a bad one. On one hand, she didn't want him to be uncomfortable in the hallway. On the other hand, she could just be mocking him. Thinking about it made his head hurt, so he busied himself with making a makeshift bed in the stretch of hallway next to the door. His head turned as he heard a light sniffling sound through the wall. It soon turned into rough sobs. His heart constricted. He knocked on the door again, calling her name softly, but to no avail.

He finally lay down on his poor excuse for a bed. He knew she wouldn't open the door until she was ready. The sound of her sobbing soon quieted, her sobs becoming less and less rough. He knew they hadn't stopped though, as she could still hear her softly crying through the door. His eyelids felt heavy, all of the emotions of the day having worn out his mind. He soon fell into an uneasy sleep.

When he woke up, Éponine's big and watery eyes were looking straight into his. He realized her hand was gently stroking his hair.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. Her face was tear-stained and full of remorse.

He sat up and pulled her in for a tight hug. They just held each other for a few moments.

Éponine soon broke the silence. "I don't know what came over me, I just freaked out all of the sudden. I was panicking and then it turned into anger, and then I kind of exploded at you, because you were the only one there." Her voice was muffled against his shoulder.

"It's alright Éponine, I think it is safe to say that hormones played a pretty big role in your outburst. And I think I could have handled it better," Enjolras said softly. He pulled back and put his hand on her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. He could feel the salty trails of the tears that had long since dried. "And I want to explain myself. About the pros and cons list."

Éponine's eyes looked down at his words, her face a little hurt. "It's alright Enjolras, I shouldn't have gotten so angry about that. I know that's just how you make decisions," she said softly. He could hear a hint of pain in her voice.

"But I didn't need a pros and cons list to convince myself to be with you Éponine," he said sincerely. She glanced up at his words, looking hopeful and confused. "I made that list a long time ago, before Marius' engagement party, before any of _this_ happened," he waved his hand vaguely between the two of them. "I knew there was something between us, some kind of tension that I couldn't seem to shake. And I knew I wanted you, although I couldn't make sense of my feelings. So I made a list. And the cons actually won out. I decided that I valued your friendship and that I needed to focus on my schoolwork and my causes and that you loved Marius and not me anyway. But you were right; I can't organize everything, because things like feelings can't be placed into categories. And a few weeks later I woke up in your bed and you were gone and I knew that I was wrong. I knew that your eyes and your personality and your smile and your laugh beat out all of the cons. It was the first time a pros and cons list had ever failed me. But now I'm sure it won't be the last," he finished softly.

Éponine smiled. She leaned forward and kissed him softly. She pulled back. "I know you say you're bad with emotions, but you always seem to know the right thing to say," she said quietly, laughter in her voice.

"I think you might be the exception to my complete ignorance to the spectrum of human emotion. Besides, if you haven't noticed, most of these right things that I have been saying have come in response to me messing everything up in the first place," Enjolras said with a smile.

"I think I've been the one messing things up recently," Éponine said a little sadly.

"Give me a few weeks, I'm sure I'll even out the odds," Enjolras said, smiling. Éponine laughed lightly.

"In fact," he continued. "I can already think of something else I messed up today. I should be thinking more about this experience of having the baby in general, not about how we are going to organize everything. So if you want to wait to find out the sex of the baby, I guess I can live with that. We'll paint the nursery yellow or something. You deserve that stupid moment in movies where they announce the sex of the baby and everyone is surprised and happy. Everything in your life should be how it's supposed to be," he said softly.

Tears pooled in Éponine's eyes. She kissed him again before pulling away slightly. "Thank you," she breathed against his lips. She pulled back and he was smiling at her.

Enjolras suddenly had a thought. "Éponine, did you bring the key with you?" He asked hesitantly.

Éponine's eyes went wide. "No, I didn't." She stood up and tried the door, it was locked.

"I always lock it from the outside before I go to bed," Enjolras explained, looking surprisingly unfazed by their dilemma. He lay back down and opened up his arms. She lay down on her side beside him. He put his arm around her as he draped the blanket over both of them, pulling her in closely. "It's okay. Combeferre should be dropping by in the morning with the key," he said softly.

"I'm sorry, I feel like I'm screwing everything up tonight," Éponine said, abashed.

He kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry about it. I was already expecting to spend the whole night in the hallway. And I'm a lot more comfortable than I was five minutes ago," he said contently as she snuggled a little closer.

Éponine realized she was a lot more comfortable too, even though she had spent the last few hours crying in his warm, fluffy bed. She felt her eyelids drooping.

"Éponine?" Enjolras said quietly. She opened her eyes again. "Yeah?" she asked tiredly.

"I just thought you should know that I wasn't lying before. I really do think you'll make a great mother," he said softly. She was turned away from him so he couldn't see her face, but he felt her body stiffen a little at his words.

"You are a very humble person, and sometimes that is part of what makes you wonderful, but it also affects the way you see yourself. You think so critically about the things you do wrong but you don't always notice the things you do right. And I can tell you that anyone who knows you would not question that you will make a wonderful mother. You are so protective over everyone you care about; I know you would never let anything happen to our child. And you are self-sufficient. You may not know everything now but you will be able to figure it out, because you always do. And you may think you don't have experience, but look at the Amis. They are practically children and you have taken care of all of them at some point or another. Grantaire by himself would probably be enough practice. You definitely have the discipline part down as well. I know it was you that made Courfeyrac get his act together at that meeting the other day, and if you managed that you would be able to handle anything an angsty teenager could throw at you. And furthermore, you don't have to do this by yourself because I will be there the entire time, along with the rest of the Amis," Enjolras said gently. He could hear Éponine sniffling a little. "You will give this child opportunities that your parents were never be able to provide for you. I know our child will love and respect you. And they will be lucky to have you as their mother."

Éponine turned around in their embrace, so that she and Enjolras were facing each other. She wiped some of the tears from her eyes and kissed him lightly.

"Stop being so nice to me," Éponine sniffled. "You are being so wonderful and all I've done is yelled at you and locked you out of your apartment twice," she whispered.

Enjolras looked thoughtful. "What if it wasn't my apartment?"

Éponine was confused. "What do you mean? Were you planning on moving?"

Enjolras smiled and looked down. He suddenly seemed a little shy. "I meant, what if it was our apartment? What if you moved in?" He looked back into her eyes. He seemed nervous, as if worried she would laugh at him.

Éponine was awestruck. "You're asking me now? Today? Here? In the hallway that we are stuck in because I yelled at you and then kicked you out of the apartment and then got us both locked out?" She asked incredulously.

"Yes," Enjolras answered confidently.

She looked deep into his blue eyes but she couldn't find a trace of doubt. "But, why? Why would you want me to move in with you? Especially after I just showed you that I'm obviously a little mentally unstable?"

Enjolras laughed lightly. "Well I'm going to assume the mental instability is a temporary thing. But even if it isn't, my life is better with you in it than it is without. Even if you are yelling at me and locking me out of the apartment. And we're going to start a family soon, and I want us to do that together, not in separate apartments. And I wasn't kidding that night when I said that the mold on your shower curtain is probably a health hazard," he responded. Éponine glared at him a little but she was smiling.

"Besides, you spend almost all your time here, half your clothes are here, and your toiletries seem to have invaded my bathroom. Why not just make it official? What do you say?" Enjolras asked her seriously. His eyes looked hopeful.

Éponine took a deep breath. She smiled. "Okay," she said simply.

"Okay?" Enjolras asked, a smile growing on his face.

"Yes, okay. If you really want a hormonal pregnant woman living in your apartment so badly then who am I to deny you that luxury?" she said flippantly. Internally however, she felt like they had just reached a huge turning point, like everything was becoming real.

Enjolras hugged her tightly, and she hugged him back even harder. She realized that for once in her life maybe everything was as it was supposed to be.

They both fell asleep in their embrace, exhausted from the night's events. And that's where a very perplexed Combeferre found them the next morning, wrapped tightly in each other's arms under a blanket, with content smiles on their faces. Combeferre found it heartwarming that his friend had found someone who had made him so happy, but that didn't stop him from taking a picture with his phone and texting it to all of the Amis. After all, how often do you find your emotionally distant best friend hugging his pregnant girlfriend while asleep on the floor of the hallway?


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"So we've looked at the cribs and the changing tables and we picked up paint swatches to decide on the color for the nursery later. I think we should look at the strollers before we leave..."

Éponine sighed as Enjolras continued to talk, going over his list for the tenth time that day. It had been two weeks since they had officially moved in together. They were planning on converting his study into the nursery and Enjolras had been itching to get started. Éponine thought it was way too early, she wasn't even at the halfway point in her pregnancy yet. But Enjolras had been so antsy that she had finally agreed to go shopping with him. She now regretted it.

They had been to seven stores in the past five hours and they hadn't actually purchased anything. Enjolras wanted to look at literally everything available before they decided on what to buy. He had grilled all of the store attendants mercilessly about the prices and the safety standards and the warranties. He had almost driven one woman, who seemed to be new to the job, to tears with his incessant questioning. Éponine had had to drag him away from her before she started crying. She was pretty sure that Enjolras hadn't even noticed the effect he had had on that poor woman, who had looked like she was ready to quit, because he was so focused on the mission at hand. He was even taking notes on all of the different merchandise. Éponine noticed he had written more than fifteen pages, front and back.

"Enjolras?" Éponine said quietly, leaning on his shoulder. "We've been shopping for five hours now and we haven't bought anything."

Enjolras looked down at her in confusion. "Well of course we haven't bought anything, I told you that this is a scouting mission. We are here to see what is available and what the sales associates say about them. Then we can do some research and see what has the best reviews and safety features, and maybe look up the history of the companies making the merchandise to see how long they have been in business and how trustworthy they are. Then we can make our decisions, and then we'll come back and buy them later," he explained impatiently, as if this was the way everyone shopped.

Éponine groaned internally. She knew that in the end Enjolras' method would probably be for the best and everything they bought would be perfect for the baby, but this was exhausting. "I know what we're doing and why we're here, but I think I have seen every possible brand of any baby-related item we would ever need to buy. I'm tired." She looked at him with pleading eyes.

Enjolras wanted to protest but relented when he saw the look on her face. "Fine, but I still think we should look at the strollers before we leave."

"Deal," Éponine agreed, relieved that she would finally be able to sit down and relax. She took Enjolras' hand as they walked towards another section of the store.

"So, if I weren't here, how would you buy all of the things for the baby?" Enjolras asked curiously.

"Honestly? I would probably just buy whatever was cheapest," she answered.

Enjolras looked aghast. "Éponine, you can't just buy the cheapest thing! You have to look at the safety ratings. We can't put the baby in a crib that could collapse at any moment!" He exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Well if you weren't here, then I wouldn't really have much choice," Éponine said quietly. Enjolras' face turned somber at her words.

"You know, I really don't feel right that you are going to have to pay for all of this," Éponine said softly. Her and Enjolras had already talked about this, but it still made her feel uneasy.

"Éponine I told you, I have more than enough to buy whatever the baby needs. You don't have to feel guilty. You're the one who has to carry the baby around for nine months, let me handle all of the other things, you just worry about that," Enjolras said reassuringly.

Éponine still looked a little upset. He knew she hated feeling like a charity case. "You really shouldn't feel guilty Éponine, I mean if you think about it, it isn't even really my money. I didn't earn it. So I should be the one feeling guilty," Enjolras assured her.

Enjolras didn't really talk about his money situation much. Éponine knew he was well off based on his apartment, but she had never really known where the money came from. She figured it must be from his father, although she wasn't really sure how things like that worked in normal families. Her father had stopped paying for her as soon as she was old enough, or rather _looked_ old enough, to get a part time job. She wondered if asking would be an invasion of his privacy, but figured that since they would be having a baby together soon it would probably be good to know.

"Is the money from your father then?" she asked hesitantly. She was relieved to see that Enjolras didn't look mad at her question, just a little surprised.

"No actually. My grandfather left me some money in his will when he died. A large amount of it has gone towards school but I have enough left to get us through at least the next five years comfortably, and by then I will be out of law school and hopefully have a job, and you will be a social worker," Enjolras smiled at her.

Éponine was touched that Enjolras was already including her in his plan for the next five years. At the same time his words made her wonder about her own future. She had always planned on going back and getting her masters degree, but she wondered if that would be possible now. She knew Enjolras would help her in any way he could, but it would be hard for her to get her to go back to school while he was getting his law degree and for them to still have time to raise a child. She had already decided not to apply to graduate school for the fall semester, she didn't think she would be able to handle school and a newborn. She could barely handle school just being pregnant. All these thoughts about the future were making her headache worse, so she decided to just focus her energy on shopping for the moment.

They had reached the section of the store with the strollers. Enjolras was looking at one of them and fiddling with the price tag a little absentmindedly. Éponine wondered why he hadn't yet verbally assaulted the salesperson. She noticed he looked a little nervous. He opened his mouth like he wanted to tell her something, but wasn't sure how to put it. He looked at her for a moment and met her gaze before his eyes darted back down to the stroller. "I actually do have a trust fund, from my father," he said a little hesitantly.

"You do?" She said uncertainly, curious about his strange behavior.

"Yeah," he said. "It's for kind of a lot of money," he added while rubbing at the back of his neck uneasily.

"How much money?" Éponine asked, knowing he wanted to tell her, but felt too awkward mentioning it without prompting from her.

"A couple million or so," he said while playing with the tag nonchalantly.

"A couple million?" Éponine repeated in shock. She had known that Enjolras' family was well off, but she hadn't known that he was _loaded_.

"I think it's about 12 million," he said quietly, looking up at her. She shut her mouth so that she was no longer gaping at him but couldn't help the look of astonishment on her face. She was speechless.

When she didn't say anything he continued. "My family is worth a lot more than that overall. It's old money, my great great grandfather's or something like that, although my father managed to practically double it with investments. I think that's part of the reason he thinks he can look down on others, because he 'earned' the money. Although without the money in the first place he wouldn't have had anything." Enjolras paused and looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing.

"The trust fund is mine when I turn 25, or so my father says," he said quietly. "I was kind of rebellious in high school if you can imagine." Éponine smiled as she pictured a 16-year-old Enjolras leading his student body into rebellion. "I almost got kicked out of school a few times but my father kept smoothing everything over with donations. I was personally responsible for the renovation of the library," Enjolras chuckled a little. "Finally my father had had enough and said he would take away my trust fund if I didn't start behaving myself. At first I didn't care, because I never wanted all of that money in the first place, but then I thought about all the good I could do. I realized that if I could just tolerate my father and stop breaking rules at school for just a few years I could make a real difference with that money. So I got my act together and I stopped rebelling against him, or at least I was more covert about it. I got into a good college and started working towards my law degree, although that had been my plan all along. And now my father can talk about how proud he is of me at work or at dinner parties. He doesn't know about the Amis or everything we've done, obviously. I try to get arrested as little as possible so he doesn't hear about it," he said calmly, as if he wasn't talking about millions of dollars. Éponine wasn't sure what she was more shocked about, the fact that Enjolras was secretly a millionaire or that he was sharing such personal information with her.

Enjolras looked a little uncomfortable in the silence. Éponine finally found her voice again. "So, you don't get along with your father very well then?" she asked. She wondered if she was pushing her luck asking such a personal question. To her surprise he didn't even hesitate when answering her.

"No, we don't," he said a little sadly. He kept looking down at the strollers though he obviously wasn't paying much attention. She knew he probably felt ill at ease talking about his family and didn't want to meet her eyes. "I mean we used to. I used to idolize him actually. I wanted to be just like him when I was younger, I used to steal his ties so I could try to dress like him." Enjolras smiled a little at the memory. "He's a lot older than me so there was always a bit of a gap between us, like he had a hard time understanding me. He was in his late forties when I was born. My parents thought they couldn't have any more children after my sister so I was an accident. My father was overjoyed to have a son to carry on the family legacy. I don't think I was who he was really expecting though," Enjolras softly. He caught Éponine's eyes quickly before looking back down at the strollers. She wanted to take his hand, but she was worried that he might stop talking if she touched him. She did move a little closer to him though.

"When my mom died," his breath hitched a tiny bit, almost imperceptibly, but Éponine heard it. She took his hand. Enjolras looked up at the contact, as if surprised she was there. He looked down again and continued talking as she rubbed small circles on the back of his hand with her thumb. "When my mom died he kind of just shut off. He became very cold, and distant. He barely interacted with me at all and I didn't know why. I think now that part of the reason is that I look a lot like her. We have the same hair and the same eyes, and I think he just couldn't really stand to look at me after she died. My sister is ten years older than me so she was already on her way to graduating college at this point and there was no one for me to really talk to in the house. And I didn't have that many friends. My father would only let me associate with children of the same social standing as me, and those kids didn't really like me that much. I was kind of a know-it-all if you can believe it." He looked at Éponine with a small smile and she smiled back. She leaned her head on his shoulder. He rested his head against hers.

"I talked a lot to the maids and the cooks, although my father would yell at me if he caught me. I started to see their lives a little bit, and how different they were than mine. I started to notice a lot of things outside of my house too. Like how we had maids and cooks and never really had to lift a finger, but other people were starving on the streets. And I noticed how my dad kind of looked down on everyone that worked for us, or anyone that was below our social standing. I tried to ask him about it, but he told me that I should just be happy about my place in society and accept it. That answer didn't really do it for me, so I turned to my father's extensive book collection. We had a whole library, and my father probably didn't even realize half of what was in there. He most likely would have taken out some of the books if he knew what I was learning from them. I read books by Montesquieu and Voltaire and Rousseau and many others, and I started to realize that maybe the life I was living was wrong, and maybe the way my father treated others was wrong as well. And by the time my father began to realize my beliefs it was too late, and it was like there was this great divide between us. These past few years I have only tolerated him because of that money, because of what losing it could mean to all of the people I could help. But, after I have it, I don't know what my relationship with my father will be anymore, or if I'll really even have one. Especially after I spend his precious trust fund on a cause that he is fundamentally against." Enjolras looked into her eyes after he finished talking. He looked sad.

They stood with each other as silence hung in the air for a few moments. A sales associate walked towards them and Éponine sent him a glare so terrifying that he immediately turned around and walked the other way. She felt a little bad, but she didn't want Enjolras to clam up, not when he was being so open with her. She wanted to ask about his mother, but she thought that might be a topic for a different time. So she asked about something that seemed to be less of a sore subject.

"What about your sister, do you talk to her at all?" she asked gently.

"A little, but not really. I mean, she is ten years older than me so there was always a generational gap. She used to play with me and read to me a lot when I was younger and she still lived at the house. And she was there for me a lot when my mother was sick and then when she died," Enjolras said pensively. "But eventually she went back to school and barely visited. I don't think she liked being around my father much either. She ended up marrying a nice, very rich man when I was 16. She had triplets, like I mentioned before, and they live a few hours away in a mansion. My sister is a nice woman, and she gives a lot to charity, but she never really shared my ideals. I think I always resented her a tiny bit for abandoning me with our father, and she always felt guilty about it, and that stopped us from getting close. I usually see her about once a year, around the holidays. I did tell her about you, in a letter, and she said she was happy that I had met a nice girl and was settling down. She said she was excited to meet you and to be an aunt," Enjolras said quietly. He met her gaze once again.

"I'd love to meet her," Éponine said sincerely. She kissed Enjolras on the cheek lightly. "Thank you for telling me about all of this," she said softly. She laid her head back on his shoulder and they both stood there for a moment, still facing the strollers.

"Do you want to head out?" she asked. He nodded. They started to walk towards the door hand in hand. Enjolras still looked distressed.

"You know, if I had known you were this loaded, I would have had you knock me up a long time ago," Éponine said jokingly.

Enjolras rolled his eyes at her but smiled. Éponine smiled to herself that her words had had their desired effect.

"I'm serious, all this time I was just monitoring my prospects with all the Amis. I was leaning towards Jean Prouvaire, because he is just so poetic and artistic that I was sure he would become a famous actor one day, and then I could be married to a celebrity. But then, lo and behold, the Ami I actually developed real feelings for turns out to have enough money to make my dream of swimming naked in a pool of hundred-dollar bills come true," Éponine said wistfully.

Enjolras laughed lightly. "If I were you I would have chosen Feuilly, his hand-painted fan business is really starting to take off. He's selling them on the street for ten dollars a pop now," he said with a smile.

"My second choice was actually Courfeyrac," Éponine responded. "He has quite a few people show up to his stand-up comedy acts now. Why, I'd even go as far to say there were a couple, or even a few, people in the audience besides us at his last show."

Enjolras was smiling widely now. He stopped walking when they reached the exit leading to the parking lot, and she stopped as well. He turned towards her and kissed the side of her forehead. "Thank you for not making a big deal about this," he murmured. He looked into her eyes and smiled. She smiled back and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. They started walking again towards Enjolras' car.

"Were you serious about that hundred-dollar bill thing? Cause I could probably make that happen," he said seductively.

"Only if you join me," she purred in his ear.

Enjolras quickly ran to the car.

"Where are you going?" she yelled at him, laughing as she jogged to catch up.

"The bank. Come on hurry! It closes in 20 minutes and I need to get more hundred dollar bills than the ATM will give me," he said with a smile on his face.

"And where are you going to find an empty swimming pool?" she asked as she reached his car, her hands on her hips.

His face fell a little in mock disappointment. "Oh yeah, you're right."

She surprised him by kissing him again, this time with fervor. He kissed her back just as enthusiastically. They pulled back after a few moments, both breathing heavily. He looked around the nearly empty parking lot. "What was that for?" he asked, a dazed look in his eyes.

"Nothing," she said smiling. She looked into his cloudy blue eyes. "I'm just glad I made the right choice."

They smiled at each other for a moment. "Now take me home," Éponine said with a smirk. "My feet are killing me." She ducked into the car as he stared at the spot where she had been, smiling at her use of the word 'home'. While he had always had a place to live and a roof over his head, he had never really felt like he belonged, at least not since his mother died. But now he felt like he really did have a home, here with Éponine and the Amis. And with the baby on the way, he would have the family he hadn't experienced since his own had fallen apart.

"Are you coming? This car is not going to drive itself you know. Why you insist on driving in the first place? I don't know why you don't just hire us a chauffeur. I mean, with our combined wealth we are worth somewhere around 12 million and a few thousand dollars. We shouldn't have to actually do anything those other measly humans have to do, like drive ourselves or walk places or feed ourselves. Oh god I just realized, we are in the parking lot of the _mall._ We can't be seen in a mall, not with our social standing. What if someone recognizes us? Quick, get us out of here!" Éponine said in a self-important tone as she ducked her head.

Enjolras chuckled to himself as he sat down in the drivers seat and put his seatbelt on. He kissed Éponine on the cheek.

"I think this money might be going to your head," he said in a mock-serious voice, raising his eyebrows at her.

"Who cares? Who needs a brain when you have money? Now come on, let's go. I want the chef to prepare me some caviar before my private tennis lesson," Éponine said in an exaggeratingly snooty voice.

"Okay," Enjolras conceded as he started the car. He looked over at Éponine, who had her nose turned up and her arms crossed. He smiled widely. "Let's go home."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Éponine waited impatiently for the elevator to reach Enjolras' floor. She was exhausted. She had been up all night studying for a test, which of course meant Enjolras had been up all night worrying about her being up all night. She had promised him that she would come back to the apartment once she was done with class and take a nap before her shift at the Musain. She knew that Enjolras would be upset if he came back to wake her for her shift and she was not asleep. Though she was pretty sure this wouldn't be a problem, based on the fact that she was about to keel over in the elevator.

She took out her key as the elevator doors opened and walked down the hall. All she could think about was Enjolras' warm, fluffy bed. Although she supposed it was now her warm, fluffy bed as well. She was still getting her head around the fact that she was actually living with him. She was broken out of her reverie as she approached the apartment and realized there was already a man standing in front of the door. She almost gasped when he turned around. She had never met him before but she knew instantly who he was.

She guessed he was somewhere in his late sixties, although he looked healthy for his age. He was very handsome, in an older, sophisticated kind of way. His hair was grey but she could still see a few dark blonde strands mixed within the silver. His face was a familiar shape and he had a familiar looking nose as well. He was very tall and very intimidating. When he saw her standing there he met her gaze and she noticed that while his eyes were the same shape as his son's, they were brown and held none of his son's warmth. Enjolras had mentioned that he looked like his mother, but the similarities between him and his father were striking. For a moment she felt like she was looking into the eyes of an older Enjolras, but she hoped that Sebastian's eyes would never be that cold. She shivered involuntarily.

They held their awkward gaze for a few moments before Enjolras' father pasted a very fake-looking smile on his face. It reminded her of the smile her father used to give all of his customers at their old inn before scamming them of their money.

"Hello, you must be my son's girlfriend. My name is Sebastian Enjolras," he said formally. He held out his hand for her to shake. Éponine was surprised that Enjolras hadn't mentioned that he had been named after his father. Maybe that was part of the reason that he preferred to go by his last name, not just because he was embarrassed. Éponine realized that she had been staring at his hand for a few moments without making a move to return his gesture. She felt her cheeks flame as she quickly moved to shake his hand. He had a stern handshake. She tried to make her handshake just as firm.

She struggled to find her words. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Éponine Thenardier," she tried to say as confidently as possible, although she stumbled over her words a little.

There was a little bit of an awkward pause after they dropped their hands. "Umm, Sebastian has class now but he should be back in about an hour if you'd like to come in and wait for him," Éponine tried to say with poise, although it was hard to stay composed with her boyfriends semi-estranged father looking at her so intently.

"Thank you, that would be lovely," he said politely. "Let me take your bag for you. A woman in your condition should not be holding such heavy objects," he said pointedly.

Éponine's hand flew to her stomach before she had time to stop it. She kept forgetting that she was visibly pregnant to other people now. She started to panic for a second. Enjolras had not mentioned whether or not he had told his father about their situation, but she had guessed from the fact that they barely corresponded that he had not gotten around to it yet.

Enjolras' father seemed to notice the distress in her eyes. "Don't worry Éponine, I'm afraid Sebastian's sister Celeste already let the cat out of the bag. That is why I am here actually," he said calmly. He gave her a smile that was meant to be kind but didn't quite reach his eyes. He held out his hand and Éponine wordlessly handed over her bag and turned to unlock the door. She wasn't quite sure how to handle this entire situation.

Enjolras' father followed her into the apartment and deposited her bag onto the table near the door.

"Do you want anything to eat? Or maybe a cup of tea?" Éponine asked.

"That's quite alright," he responded as he looked around the apartment critically. Éponine wished she had cleaned up a little more. Enjolras' apartment was usually spotless, but since she had moved in a few of her things were strewn around the room.

"Actually I was thinking we could have a little chat," he continued. He gestured to the kitchen table.

Éponine thought longingly of the bed that was awaiting her in the other room. Although with her nerves she now felt anything but tired.

"Of course," she said politely. They walked into the kitchen and he pulled out a chair for her. She sat down. He remained standing. She noticed he was looking at the fridge, on which they had put up the two sonogram images that had been taken. There were also a few photos of all the Amis as well as a few of her and Enjolras. She realized too late the particular picture he was looking at. It was the one of her and Enjolras sleeping in the hallway that Courfeyrac had insisted on putting on their fridge a few days ago. She felt her cheeks redden and mentally reminded herself to kick his ass later. She thought about explaining the photograph but didn't know how to do so without sounding like a crazy person, so she kept her mouth shut.

After a moment he turned away from the fridge and sat down opposite her at the table. He smiled again. This time it looked even more forced. "So Éponine, how far along are you?" he asked, nodding at her stomach.

Éponine wondered how he made everything sound so kind and polite, yet hostile and intimidating at the same time. She realized that he had the same way with words that Enjolras did, but he used his gift in a very different way.

"I'm at 19 weeks now," Éponine said softly while she rubbed her stomach self-consciously.

"How wonderful. My wife always told me that the second trimester was the best part of her pregnancy. And you're almost at the halfway point now, aren't you?" he asked.

Éponine nodded.

"Do you know the sex of the baby yet?" he asked with one of his not-quite kind smiles.

"No, I wanted to keep it a surprise," Éponine said with a smile of her own. She was suddenly nervous. She didn't know where this small talk was leading. A part of her was hoping that Enjolras' class got out early.

"I bet my son isn't fond of that idea is he," Enjolras' father said with a raised eyebrow.

"No, he didn't like the idea at first, I'm sure you know that he is very organized and likes to plan for the future. But he decided that if that was what I wanted, he could wait," Éponine said with a semi-forced smile of her own. She felt weird discussing her relationship with Enjolras with his father.

Enjolras' father raised his eyebrows so high that they almost disappeared into his hairline. "Well, he must really care for you. I've never seen my son to bend to anyone else's will before. Or maybe you are simply very skilled at persuasion." He was still smiling but there was nothing even remotely kind about it anymore. Éponine wondered what he was implying. She felt her stomach plummet to her somewhere around her feet. It seemed that the polite part of their conversation was over.

Enjolras' father clasped his hands and leaned forward on the table. Éponine had to stop herself from leaning back instinctually. She tried to sit up straighter. "I'm afraid I have a confession to make," he said flatly. "I didn't come to here to talk to my son. I knew he had class. I came here today to talk to you." He looked straight into her eyes and Éponine felt a pang of fear as she stared back into his cold, dark eyes.

"As I'm sure you are well aware, my son is going to inherit quite a large sum of money in a few years," he looked at her expectantly.

Éponine cleared her throat. "Yes, he mentioned that recently."

"Yes, _recently_. I'm sure," Enjolras' father said with doubt evident in his voice. "I know my son very well, and I know that he does not enter into relationships very easily or often," he said sternly. "So, as you can imagine I was quite surprised when Celeste asked what I thought about Sebastian moving in with his pregnant girlfriend, I believe she thought that Sebastian had already told me you see." He paused for a second. Éponine was trying to keep her breathing even. "I had never even heard of him ever having a girlfriend in the first place. And with such a large sum of money on the line I had to look into this girl that my son seemed to be so infatuated with. I had hoped it might be some girl of high esteem, so perhaps we could have a quick wedding and salvage the situation by telling everyone they eloped. But alas, as I said I know my son. And unfortunately, you turned out to be everything I expected in his choice of a girlfriend." Éponine felt a little light-headed. She hoped that her fear was not shining in her eyes. But she knew it was based on the elder Enjolras' triumphant expression.

"I imagine you can understand why it would worry me that the future mother of my grandchild would be the daughter of two thieves and conmen from the slums, who are now imprisoned I may add. And what of your brothers and sisters? In foster homes I believe. It seems curious that you were the only one to seemingly escape from your impoverished life. Some may find it admirable, but I know that one drags themselves out of hell on their hands and knees, not walking tall and proud. If you want to find someone admirable from the slums, look at those that stayed there, not the ones that climbed over the bodies of others to reach the exit. Does Sebastian know that you could have taken in your siblings, that it wasn't necessary for them to go into foster care if you had dropped out of college? Sure, you had a few marks on your records. Arrests for shoplifting and breaking and entering I believe? But those records were sealed, and if you had fought there is a very good chance they could be living with you now. Do your siblings know that you didn't fight for them? I'm sure you tell yourself at night that little Jacques and Pierre are together with a nice foster family, a family that is even possibly considering adoption. That they are happier in their new lives than they could have ever been with you. But what about Azelma and little Gavroche? He in particular seems to have a penchant for troublemaking. Do you know he has already moved through three foster homes? And at the tender age of 12. And Azelma. She's almost 18 and will be kicked out of the foster system soon. Were you even planning on seeing how she is planning for the future?" Éponine felt the angry tears in her eyes, but forced them not to fall. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction. He acted like her siblings meant nothing to her. Like that hadn't been the hardest decision of her entire life, like Azelma and Gavroche hadn't practically made the decision for her.

"But I suppose you couldn't give up your life here at college, with all of these wealthy young men around you. Not when the life you had known as a small child, when your father's pitiful excuse for an inn was flourishing, was suddenly once again within your grasp. I know you first set your eye on Marius Pontmercy, a fine choice, but not worth nearly as much as my son. You were lucky that young man did not return your affections, for a much wealthier man was right beside you the whole time and nearly escaped your notice. But you corrected your mistake in the end, didn't you. A smart choice, having him impregnate you. It's much safer than a marriage where messy prenuptial agreements are involved. This way he will be connected to you for at least 18 years through child support. But you always have been smart, haven't you Éponine?" he said rather menacingly.

"Maybe you even have the mistaken notion that you love my son, or that he loves you back. But I assure you that is not the case. My son is a very difficult person to reach, as I'm sure you know. He does not love easily. Has he told you he loves you yet? I would be willing to bet that he hasn't. My son may like to pretend he cares so much for the poor and the lower classes, but in reality he was born into high society. He still has higher standards, even if he does not act like it. And let me tell you, Ms. Thenardier, you definitely do not fit those standards. I'm sure you are willing to admit that he deserves better than you. You may act like a sweet hard-working college girl, but underneath you will always be a poor girl from the slums, hanging around with thieves and prostitutes and playing a part in your father's cons," he said icily.

Éponine felt like she was frozen in her seat. She couldn't even open her mouth to defend herself.

He reached into his suit pocket and withdrew a folded piece of paper. "I applaud you for your efforts. You have weaseled your way so far into my son's life that I can see no way of extracting you from it without compensation on your part. So here is my proposal, and I think you will find it more than fair. Leave my son's life. Move away. Go somewhere else, anywhere else, and never see him again. My son might be heartbroken for a while but I assure you he will get over it, and I think we both agree that he will be better off in the long run," he looked intently into her eyes. He looked threatening.

He pushed the small piece of paper at her. She saw that it was a check. "This will be your first payment. If you take it, then you will leave my son's life forever. You will never see him again. You will never let him meet his child. You can tell him it was never his in the first place, I am sure he won't have a hard time believing that. Maybe it was that thieving ex-boyfriend of yours, Montparnasse was it? Or a stranger, that would be plausible as well. I think you will find that this first check will be enough to start you off. After that I will send you a lesser, but still substantial, check every year until that child turns 18. You will never tell anyone who the child's father is, and this shall not become a scandal. You may not get quite as much money as you would married to my son, but I assure you that in the end he would not have married you anyway." The look he was giving her now was positively glacial.

"Even in the off-chance that you actually do love my son, you have to admit that this deal is what is best for both of you. He will be free to live in high society without a scandal of an illegitimate child hanging over his head. And you will be free to retrieve your siblings from foster care and live out the rest of your lives happily and without worrying about money. Or perhaps you would not like to split the money with your siblings, I won't judge. If you decide to take the deal, and I have a feeling that you will, you can take this check and be on your way. Here is my number and the number of my lawyer." He pushed two white business cards at her. "You can call to make arrangements for the rest of the payments, and you will have to sign a few confidentiality agreements, of course. And once that is arranged, the only correspondence you will have with me or my son will be through the name on the signature of the checks you will receive each year." He stood up and straightened out his jacket.

Enjolras' father gave her one last terrifyingly insincere smile. "Good day Éponine, I trust you will make the right choice. It has been a pleasure to meet you." He turned around and walked out the door before even giving her a chance to respond.

Éponine just sat there staring at the folded check on the table. She felt stuck, like her limbs had stopped working. Her mind however was moving at full speed. She knew a lot of what Enjolras' father had said to her was ridiculous. She was not pulling a long con on Enjolras, this was not some sort of plot to steal his money. But what he had said about her siblings, that was partially true. She remembered the sad faces of Jacques and Pierre when she had said goodbye to them in that tiny room before the social worker had taken them away. She remembered Gavroche and Azelma's determined expressions as she hugged them goodbye, before driving off back to school, her heart broken into a thousand tiny pieces. She should have fought for them more, she should have tried harder.

And was she really good enough for Enjolras? No matter where she lived or how much money she had she would always just be a poor girl from the slums. And he was so kind and caring and passionate and good.

She knew she loved him, and she knew he loved her too, but there was a tiny voice in the back of her head that was reminding her that he hadn't actually said the words.

But even if Enjolras' father was right about all of this, Éponine knew no amount of money could actually get her to take Enjolras' child away from him. Even if he came to his senses and realized that she wasn't good enough for him, she knew he wanted this baby and she would never deny him that.

She couldn't help but look at the check, her curiosity winning her over. Once she did she almost threw up. It was for half a million dollars. She had never seen that much money in her life and she was now holding it in her hands. Did her father really think she was that bad for Enjolras, that he would spend this much money, plus further annual payments, just to get her to go away?

She felt anger sweep through her, along with sadness and doubt. She crumpled the check in her fist as the tears she had been holding in started to pour down her cheeks.

She didn't know what to do, she didn't know how to react. So she sat and sobbed silently as she clutched the crushed check in her hand. She told herself over and over that Enjolras and his father barely tolerated each other, that she shouldn't listen to what he said, that he was wrong.

But she couldn't ignore everything he had said, because he had dug down to her deepest insecurities, the ones Enjolras had tried so hard to bury. She couldn't help but think that Enjolras' father was right.

She wasn't good enough for his son. And she never would be.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Wow, you guys really didn't like Enjolras' father did you? I think that might have been the biggest response I have gotten to a chapter yet. I got this one up as quickly as I could, since I ended the last chapter in kind of a cruel spot. Thank you for all of the reviews. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 20

Enjolras walked down the hallway to the apartment, hoping his girlfriend had listened to him and actually fallen asleep when she had returned from class. He was tired himself from staying up most of the night with her, and he had spent the entire day worrying. She had been exhausted this morning and had barely been able to string two words together. He was considering calling Musichetta and asking her to cover for Éponine at the Musain. He knew Éponine would probably kill him for it but she really needed the sleep. He grimaced a little as he imagined her reaction if she found out that he had cancelled her shift. At the same time though, he didn't mind arguing with her. In fact he kind of loved arguing with her. He wondered if this was normal behavior in a relationship. He didn't really have anything else to compare it to. He realized with a jolt that he missed her, which was ridiculous because he had seen her only hours ago, and she was only a few feet away behind the apartment door. He smiled to himself, he was getting as bad as Marius.

He reached the door and carefully unlocked it, trying to make as little noise as possible so as not to wake his, hopefully, sleeping girlfriend.

He put down the carefully put down his bag and walked through the apartment slowly. He startled when he saw her sitting at the kitchen table.

"Éponine! You were supposed to be asleep," he said disapprovingly. His frown turned into concern as he saw the tears on her face. He rushed over and kneeled down beside her. She was just staring into space, tears pouring down her face in steady streams, her hand balled into a fist on top of the table.

"What's wrong? Did your test go badly?" he asked, concerned. He wiped some of the tears from her cheeks when she didn't respond. He was starting to get anxious; his heart plummeted as he wondered if something had happened with the baby. Then he saw something white of the corner of his eye.

He picked up the business cards, his eyes darkening and his face turning white as a sheet as he read the names of his father and his father's lawyer.

"Éponine," he said slowly and more calmly than he felt. "Was my father here?" Éponine nodded. Enjolras sucked in a quick breath. He breathed out slowly and tried to calm himself, knowing there must be a connection between his girlfriend's seemingly traumatized state and his father's apparent visit to the apartment.

"What did he say?" Enjolras asked in a voice filled with anxiety and a growing rage. He calmed himself down again. He put his hands on the sides of Éponine's face. "Éponine," he said slowly, looking deeply into her watery eyes. "What did my father say to you? Why are you so upset?"

Éponine finally met his gaze and seemed to come back to herself a little. She swallowed to try and clear her dry throat. She was worried about what Enjolras' reaction would be. She tried to open her mouth to explain but the words wouldn't come. Enjolras rested his hand on top of hers in an attempt to comfort her. His brow furrowed as he felt the paper clutched in her hand. He looked up at her in confusion before gently unfurling her fingers and pulling out the check. Éponine didn't even have the energy to protest. He smoothed the check against the edge of the table and looked at it intently, his eyes narrowing. She saw his fingers curl into fists, his knuckles going white.

"Éponine," he said in almost a whisper. "Why did my father give you a check for 500,000 dollars?" He looked like he might explode at any minute, but he was reeling himself in because he needed to hear the answer from her lips first.

Éponine looked into his eyes, which were filled with more emotions than she could count, anger being the predominant one.

"He said that the money was mine if I moved away and left your life forever," she said quietly, her gaze not leaving his.

She watched as his eyes went wide with shock and fury. Soon his entire face was red. He had to turn away from her. He put his hand on the top of the fridge and breathed deeply. She knew he was trying not to blow up in front of her. She could see how tense the muscles in his back were. He stayed that way for several minutes, not saying anything. He was looking at the photos on the fridge and they seemed to calm him down a small amount.

She suddenly had a horrible thought, that part of his fury might be directed at her, that he might believe she was thinking of taking the money.

"Enjolras," she said quietly. He turned around quickly at the sound of her voice. He was still tense and angry, but he looked a little more like himself.

"I just need you to know that I would never take the money," Éponine felt tears pooling in her eyes. "I would never do that to you." She looked at him with wide eyes, as if willing him to believe her. Enjolras pulled one of the kitchen chairs close to her and took her hand, his concern for her overriding his anger at the moment.

"I know Éponine," he said sincerely. "I know you would never do that."

Éponine looked a little relieved but she still seemed distressed. Enjolras realized that his father had not simply given her the check and asked her to leave.

"Éponine, what else did he say to you?" he asked carefully.

Éponine looked afraid to answer. "It's okay, I promise I won't flip out, just tell me okay?" He pushed back some of the hair from her face. She leaned into his touch.

"Well, he knew a lot about me, about my life. I think he must have hired a private investigator," Éponine started cautiously. Enjolras was already furious, but willed himself to stay calm. He knew there was a lot more to this story and he needed to hear the whole thing. He nodded at her words and she continued.

"He knew that we lived together, that I was pregnant, I guess your sister told him by accident. He knew where I was from, who my parents were. He knew that my family had been well off when I was younger. He knew I had been arrested a few times. He knew... he knew about my siblings," she said shakily.

Enjolras looked confused. "You mean that they are in foster care?" he asked cautiously.

"No, I mean yes but not just that. He knew that..." she stopped talking as more tears started to form in her eyes. "He knew that I could have gotten them out of foster care," she said quietly, a few tears escaping her eyes. Enjolras moved closer to her. "What do you mean?" he asked hesitantly.

She sucked in a deep breath. "My parents got arrested right after I first came to college, before I really knew any of you guys very well." Enjolras knew pieces of this story, but he had never really heard the whole thing. He nodded at her. "My siblings went into the system, but I knew how it worked and I didn't want them there. I went to the social worker and asked if I could take care of them. She said that it would be hard, since I was so young and I had a few arrests on my record. But she said that if I got a full time job and a place to live and if I showed I could support them then I might be able to get custody. Of course I would have to drop out of college," Éponine said softly. A few more tears had fallen onto her cheeks. Enjolras wiped them away, his eyes filled with concern. "But I was willing to do it, I was," Éponine repeated as if trying to convince herself. "I found a place to live and a job. Nothing was concrete because it still wasn't certain that I would win, but I told all my siblings about what I was planning. Pierre and Jacques were excited, but Azelma and Gavroche were upset that I was going to put my dreams on hold for them. On the day of the hearing," Éponine's breath hitched a little. Enjolras started rubbing small circles on her hand with his thumb.

Éponine continued, "On the day of the hearing Azelma and Gavroche came to me and told me they weren't going to let me do this. They weren't going to let me give up everything I had worked so hard for just because my parents were idiots and got themselves arrested. They said that the foster families they were with weren't so bad, and that it was already better than living at home with our parents. And Jacques and Pierre were together with a really, really nice family. Azelma explained that by the time I graduated she would be 18 and then she could go to college herself. Gavroche said that if I really still wanted him I could have him when I graduated. And we could wait and see with Pierre and Jacques. They said after everything I did for them they wanted to do this for me. I still refused of course, I wasn't going to let them do that. But they insisted. Gavroche said that if I didn't agree he would go up to the social worker and say that I would make a horrible parent, that he didn't want to stay with me, and then I would never get any of them. Azelma agreed and I knew they were serious, that they would actually do it. So eventually I gave in. I dropped the case and went back to school. I let myself get conned by a 14-year-old and an 8-year-old. And they barely write to me now. I think it's because they want me to live my own life and not think about them too much. But I still feel so guilty, because I met you and all the Amis. And my life is getting better and better and they are stuck in those stupid foster homes. And your father knew all of that. He said that I climbed over their bodies to get myself out of the slums, and he was right," Éponine finished, tears streaming out of her eyes. She was sobbing now.

Enjolras pulled her in for a hug and held her tightly while she cried. Half of him wanted to comfort her, the other half wanted to punch the wall in frustration for what his father had said to her. And he knew that she wasn't finished yet.

"Éponine, that doesn't make you selfish. Your siblings just knew what I know. That you give so much to other people that sometimes you forget to think about yourself," Enjolras whispered against her hair. "They knew that you deserved to go to college, you deserved your own happiness. They loved you so much that they were willing to give that to you, even if it meant they wouldn't see you for a while."

Éponine held onto him tighter. Her tears had slowed down but she was still sniffling. He pulled back and noticed that she still looked guilty, but a little less upset.

"So you don't think I'm a horrible person?" she asked with an almost childlike look on her face.

Enjolras gave her a small smile. "Éponine I could never think you were a horrible person." She smiled back. He wished he could end their conversation there, on a good note. But he knew that his father had done more damage, and they needed to talk about it.

"Éponine," he said lightly. "What else did he say?"

Éponine wiped at her eyes a little. She took a deep breath before saying the next part, knowing it would anger him. "He thought that I was trying to con you, that I had gotten pregnant on purpose to trap you." She stopped talking suddenly and looked down. Enjolras realized how tightly he was holding her hand in his fury. He let go. "I'm sorry," he said in a tight voice, hoping he hadn't hurt her.

"It's alright," she said with a tiny smile. She continued, wanting to get this over with "He thought that was why I had fixated on Marius, because I wanted his money, and that I had switched my affection to you when I realized you were worth more." Enjolras looked like he was getting more and more furious with every sentence. "He said that I would always be from the slums, that I wasn't good enough for you, that I wasn't up to your standards. And he told me that even if I wasn't conning you and I did have actual feelings for you, I would still be doing you a favor by leaving so that you could find someone who actually deserved you."

Enjolras' face was very red at this point.

"That's when he gave me the check. He said there would be additional payments too, for 18 years, as long as I left. He said you would get over it."

Enjolras was clenching his jaw now. He knew he didn't have much time before the fury overtook the rational part of his brain. He stood up, wiping a hand over his face. "What about the baby? Did he think I wouldn't go looking for it?" he managed to spit out.

"He told me to tell you it wasn't yours, that it was Montparnasse's or some other random stranger's. He said you would believe it," Éponine said hesitantly. She knew what the words would do to him, but she didn't want to lie.

Éponine could actually see a vein throbbing in Enjolras' temple. She was a little worried he might have an aneurysm or a stroke.

"Was that it?" he asked in barely controlled rage. Éponine nodded quickly. She decided not to mention the part about Enjolras not loving her. She didn't want to make him feel like he had to tell her things that might not be true.

"Éponine, I will say this more eloquently later but I am having a hard time gathering my thoughts right now," Enjolras said roughly as he started pacing. "But you have to know that none of what he said was true, none of it. Tell me you know that." Enjolras said as sincerely as he could manage at the moment.

Éponine nodded because she knew it was what he needed. In truth she was still upset by his father's words. She knew thinking about what he said would hurt for a while, no matter how much Enjolras reassured her.

Enjolras nodded roughly, he was still pacing. He clenched and unclenched his fists as he walked.

"Enjolras?" Éponine was watching him nervously. She had never seen him this livid, not even at Grantaire. "Maybe you should calm down," she said anxiously.

"I can't," he spit out. "I have never been this angry before," he practically grunted. "I don't know what to do. Remember when Bahorel punched a hole in Bossuet's wall? I thought he was being such an idiot but that's all I want to do right now. I just want to punch the wall, or strangle my father, but punching the wall seems more feasible at the moment," he said in an angry rush.

"Enjolras, don't punch the wall, you'll break your hand and then we'll have to go to the hospital and you'll have to fix the wall later. And you might lose your security deposit," Éponine said calmly, trying to convince the rational part of his brain.

Enjolras nodded along to her logic as he paced. "I understand what you are saying, and I know you are right, but I still want to punch the wall," he said shortly.

"Try taking deep breaths. You just need to calm down, breath with me okay?" she took a few deep breaths and he tried to copy her but gave up after a few tries.

"It's not working," he said anxiously. "I think I'm just getting angrier by the minute."

Éponine did notice that his face seemed to somehow be getting even redder. And she saw that his hands had started to shake in fury.

"Okay, new plan. Go jog up and down the hallway and up and down the stairs. I'm calling in reinforcements. Do not punch the wall in the hallway or anyone who passes you, okay?"

Enjolras looked a little confused but nodded at her instructions and ran out the door.

She dialed Combeferre's number quickly. He answered on the second ring.

"Hey, Éponine where are you? Musichetta was worried because you didn't show up for your shift..."

Éponine cut him off.

"Combeferre, you and the rest of the Amis need to come here right now. It's an emergency. Enjolras' father was here earlier and..."

This time it was Combeferre who cut her off.

"We'll be there as soon as we can. How is he?" he said worriedly.

"He was so mad that I'm making him do laps in the hallway and up the stairs," Éponine said quickly.

"Hold tight," Combeferre said with conviction. "We're on our way."

Éponine sat impatiently, listening to Enjolras go up and down the hallway. After about fifteen minutes she heard the loud voices of the Amis. She opened the door as they walked towards her down the hall.

"Thank god you are here," she said loudly. Just then Enjolras came down the stairs. He stopped when he saw the Amis. He was a little flushed and sweaty, and he didn't look like he had calmed down much.

"Did it help at all?" she asked hopefully.

He shook his head. "I still think punching the wall is my best option at this point," he grunted a little out of breath. The Amis were all staring at him. They had never seen him looking this angry or this discomposed.

Combeferre took in the state of his best friend. "This is more serious than I thought," he muttered as he grabbed Enjolras' arm and dragged him inside. The rest of the Amis followed.

Combeferre sat Enjolras on the couch and handed him a pillow. "Here, hold on to that, feel free to rip it if you feel like it, I always hated that pillow," Combeferre stated. He became very worried when rather than glaring at him for his comment, Enjolras really did attempt to rip up the pillow, although he was failing at the moment.

"Okay, what happened here," Combeferre said with worry in his eyes. All of the Amis, even Bahorel, looked wary of Enjolras at the moment, not knowing what to do with their normally clear-headed and composed leader in such a state.

"Basically, Enjolras' father came by earlier to talk to me and he said some, _things_, to me that Enjolras didn't appreciate," she looked over at Enjolras, weary about mentioning the details a second time.

The Amis looked at Enjolras, who was now staring at the pillow intently, as if strategizing the best way to pull it apart. "I think that's putting it lightly," Courfeyrac said with wide eyes.

"Well, basically he implied that I had planned for Enjolras to get me pregnant so I could con him out of his money, and then he tried to bribe me to move away and never see Enjolras again," she said in a rush, hoping to avoid Enjolras flipping out too much upon listening to the facts again.

"He tried to bribe you? With what?" Jean Prouvaire asked.

Éponine picked up the wrinkled check from where it had ended up on the kitchen floor and handed it to him. The Amis crowded around him. Courfeyrac let out a low whistle at the amount on the check. She heard a few gasps as well.

"How much is he worth that his father was going to give you that much to go away?" Grantaire whispered incredulously.

"A lot," Éponine said impatiently. "Now can we focus on the problem at hand?" she asked, pointing at Enjolras, who was now surrounded by the remains of the pillow he had finally succeeded in destroying.

"Yes, right," Combeferre said, trying to take charge. But he really didn't know what to do at the moment. He looked at the Amis but they were giving him blank stares.

He turned to Enjolras who seemed anxious now that the pillow was destroyed and he had nothing to do with his hands. "Enjolras, what do you think would help you to calm down?" he asked gently.

Enjolras looked up at him, his eyes still lined with anger. "Punching the wall, but Éponine seems intent on stopping me from doing that. What I really want to do is have a _talk_ with my father." Enjolras' eyes darkened considerably at this. Combeferre hoped his father did not try to return. Even he would not deserve what Enjolras would do to him if they were left alone in a room together.

Combeferre turned again to the Amis. "Well my friends, do you have any ideas? Hopefully ones that aren't horrible I might add?"

Bahorel perked up. "Fight club?" he asked with hope in his eyes.

Combeferre shook his head. "No I think not, but I believe that was the first time you made that suggestion when it was actually semi-relevant to the conversation, so good job."

Bahorel grunted at him.

"What if we just let him punch the wall? I mean it seems like he really wants to?" Feuilly said simply.

"Maybe as a last resort. Even if that does help, I think it would do more damage than good," Combeferre responded with a shake of his head.

Soon the Amis were yelling out ideas left and right, though none of them were particularly good.

"What if we just find his dad and let Enjolras strangle him," Grantaire said as he took a swig of beer. "I mean just a little bit Combeferre, stop looking at me like that, we would pull him off eventually."

"We could put some calming music on, and I could recite some poetry?" Jean Prouvaire suggested.

"What if we just let them talk it out? That's what I do when I fight with my grandfather," Marius said lightly. Everyone rolled their eyes at him.

"Maybe we could just let him punch Marius in the face?" Courfeyrac suggested with a large smile on his face. The Amis, sans Marius, seemed to like this idea until Combeferre shot it down.

"What if we just watch _Fight Club_?" Bahorel asked with hope in his voice.

Combeferre stopped listening as Joly began explaining a technique he had learned in class, which seemed to involve hanging the patient by the ankles. He wondered where Éponine's input was in all this. He noticed she was now sitting on the couch by Enjolras. He seemed to have calmed down enough to let her take his hand. She was rubbing circles on the back of his hand with her thumb, and Combeferre could visibly see Enjolras calming down. She moved one of her hands to his back as he sat on the edge of the couch, rubbing small circles there as well. Combeferre noticed that Enjolras' face had gone back to almost it's original color. Enjolras leaned back on the couch as he seemed to relax a little. Éponine rested her head on his shoulder while he put his arm around her. Combeferre could see the tension coming off of him in waves until he looked like his old self again. Éponine seemed to have nodded off against his shoulder, finally succumbing to her exhaustion.

He turned back to the conversations of the Amis in the middle of Grantaire's sentence.

"... and we wouldn't actually let him fall out of the window, we'd just let him hang there for a second, you know, so he would realize his own mortality..."

"I wasn't even listening to that whole idea and I know that it's terrible," Combeferre interjected, cutting Grantaire off.

"Besides, I have a better idea. I think we should just let Éponine take care of it," Combeferre said with a smile on his face.

The other Amis stared at him. "Umm Combeferre, No offense but that's worse than Marius' friendship circle idea," Courfeyrac said with a scoff.

"I did not suggest a friendship circle..." Marius started to interject before Courfeyrac held out a hand to stop him from continuing.

"Isn't Éponine the one that called us here? Don't you think it would be a little cruel to just leave her to handle enraged Enjolras alone?" Courfeyrac said in a slow voice.

"She seems to have done alright by herself," Combeferre said as he lifted a finger in the direction of the couch.

The Amis all turned around to see that the Enjolras was sitting calmly on the couch while Éponine dozed on his shoulder. He was fiddling a little with the ends of her hair, seemingly waiting for them to notice he was still there. He smiled widely at them when he saw them looking.

"Why are you smiling?" Joly asked uneasily. All of the Amis were a little unnerved that the last time they had looked at Enjolras he had practically had steam blowing from his ears and now he seemed perfectly content.

"No reason really. It's just nice to feel needed," Enjolras said simply. He spoke softly so as not to awake Éponine, but she seemed to be gone from the world at the moment.

"You mean it's nice that Éponine needs to use you as a pillow because you tore the other one up with your bare hands?" Bossuet asked in a confused voice from the back of the group.

"No," Enjolras said quietly with a smirk. "It's just nice to see that I am still needed as your leader, because you guys have terrible ideas. Did you really think hanging my father out of a window would have solved the problem Grantaire?"

Grantaire looked confused. "No, I was talking about hanging you out of the window actually."

Enjolras raised an eyebrow. "And _that_ would have solved the problem?" He asked in an incredulous voice.

"Well we'll never know now will we," Grantaire pouted as he crossed his arms.

Enjolras shook his head at his friend's antics.

"Well as fun as this has been, I'm going to put Éponine to bed, can you ask Musichetta to cover for her at the Musain?" Enjolras asked as he gently extracted himself from Éponine and bent down to pick her up. She put her arms around his neck drowsily and burrowed her head into the place beneath his collarbone.

Courfeyrac looked like he wanted to make a joke about Enjolras holding Éponine so tenderly but Combeferre elbowed him in the stomach before he could even get the words out.

"Sure," Combeferre said with a nod. "But are you sure you're alright? You're not mad anymore?" he asked hesitantly.

"Oh, I'm still mad," Enjolras said quietly as his eyes darkened a bit. "But I realize that freaking out about it now won't solve anything. I'll save my fury for the next time I see my father."

Combeferre was a little taken aback by the cold wrath in his friend's eyes. But he realized that this was progress. "Okay, well just tell us if you're going to hulk out again alright?" he said with a smirk. He started to walk to the door and the rest of the Amis followed. They all muttered their goodbyes and filed out the door.

Enjolras stood there for a moment. He could still hear the Amis talking.

"So what was the point of us being here exactly?" he heard Jean Prouvaire mutter.

"Because Enjolras was there for you when you cried for three straight hours after watching _The Notebook_," he heard Combeferre mutter as the other Amis snickered.

He heard only the beginning of Jean Prouvaires reply as their voices drifted down the hallway.

"If by there for me you mean handing me a box of tissues and yelling 'I don't understand why you are crying they ended up together in the end! Sort of!', then yes he was there for me. Actually I guess the fact that he didn't run screaming from my tears was pretty impressive..."

Enjolras rolled his eyes and was about to turn around when the door opened again, having been left open a crack, and Bahorel appeared in the doorway. His gaze dropped to Éponine as she slept contently in Enjolras' arms. He looked Enjolras in the eyes, his expression hard. "Just make sure you take care of her, alright?" he said in a low tone.

Enjolras nodded, his expression serious. Bahorel gave him a critical look and then a curt nod before leaving, closing the door behind him.

Enjolras looked down at Éponine, at the bump in her stomach that was growing every day. He knew he would do whatever it took to keep her, them, in his life. He felt a familiar anger rise up in his chest at what his father had tried to do today. Enjolras had been screening what he said to his father for more than a decade, trying to keep their relationship tolerable. But he was done holding back. His father had better be prepared. Because if he thought that his son had been hard to handle in _high school_, then he had no _fucking_ idea what he had gotten himself into.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Enjolras thought he would put Éponine to bed, then maybe stew a bit in his anger, make a few pros and cons lists about what to do with his father, and perhaps even call his sister and explain to her the difference between public and private information. But Éponine seemed to have different plans.

He walked into his bedroom after Bahorel left and carefully lowered Éponine onto the bed. He found this more difficult than he anticipated, considering Éponine seemed to have woken up a little and would not let go of his neck. He managed to get her onto the bed, but now was stuck hovering above her. It wasn't exactly the most uncomfortable position he had ever been in, but he couldn't stay like this the whole time Éponine was asleep.

"Éponine?" he said gently. He stroked the side of her face a little. "You have to let go of me if you want to go to sleep."

Éponine cracked an eye open and looked at him before closing it again. "No, I'm fine," Éponine muttered drowsily as a content smile appeared on her face. "This position works for me."

"Éponine, if you don't let go of me then I may have to resort to extreme measures. This may get ugly, I'm warning you," Enjolras said in an overly serious voice.

Éponine scoffed, "And what exactly are these extreme measures to which you are referring?"

"Do you really want to find out?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

She raised her eyebrow right back at him. "Yes, I do actually. Give it your best shot."

"Is that a challenge?"

Éponine nodded.

"Okay, well I would just like you to remember that you asked for this," he said in a grave voice.

Enjolras leaned down so that she could feel his breath on her neck, and Éponine was sure his idea would involve seducing her. His fingers crept up underneath her shirt and she was certain that her suspicions were correct. She began to strategize the best way to seduce him back when his fingers moved to a sensitive spot near her ribs and suddenly he was tickling her mercilessly.

She gasped as curled in on herself, tears streaming down her cheeks as she laughed uncontrollably with her limbs flailing, trying desperately to thwart his attack. Unfortunately for him she succeeded, and her foot made contact with his stomach, hard, and he fell unceremoniously from the bed with a large thump.

It took her a moment to orient herself as she sat up on the bed, trying to catch her breath, and saw Enjolras on the floor clutching his stomach. She immediately pulled herself up and went to his side, rolling him over so he was on his back.

"Enjolras, I'm so sorry, are you okay?" she asked frantically.

"Yeah, I'm okay," he answered in a raspy voice, his eyes still squeezed shut in the pain. "I think you just kind of knocked the air out of me, that's all," he was still clutching his stomach.

After a moment he opened his eyes a bit and wheezed out a small chuckle. "That was a really hard kick, I think it's going to bruise. I'm just glad you weren't aiming any lower." He winced at the thought.

"Yeah well, a person being tickled is not accountable for their actions. I'm pretty sure I read that in one of your law textbooks," Éponine said with a smile. "And tickling? That was your master plan? If I tell the Amis about this it will ruin your street cred."

"Yeah, well it worked didn't it?" he said with a smile that was still half a wince.

"Yes, but at what cost Enjolras? At what cost?" she said with a solemn shake of her head. Enjolras laughed and then simultaneously winced as he clutched his still aching stomach.

"Are you going to make it?" Éponine asked gravely.

"I don't know," Enjolras responded. "I just wish there was some way to describe the pain I am feeling. I just don't think there is anyone, and definitely not a specific gender, who understands how much this hurts," Enjolras said with a wistful look on his face. He gasped in pain once again as Éponine smacked his arm.

"Did you just make a joke about the pain of childbirth to a pregnant woman?" she gaped at him.

"Perhaps, what are you going to do about it?" He smirked at her for a second but his smile soon disappeared as her gaze darkened. She sat on his legs so he couldn't escape.

Enjolras looked terrified now. "Actually, I must of hit my head when I fell. I don't know what I'm saying," Enjolras sputtered quickly, taking back his earlier statement. "Although I would like to mention that if such a joke had been uttered, perhaps by someone in this room, it would have been totally justified since said person had just been kicked off the bed by the one on the receiving end of the joke."

"Yes, but this said person was kicked off the bed because they initiated a round of tickling and thus by the tickling law I mentioned before, the one being tickled was in no way accountable for their actions," Éponine argued.

"But the tickler was being held hostage by the one on the receiving end of the tickling and thus the round of tickling was in self-defense, and therefore your argument is void," Enjolras said as triumphantly as he could while being pinned to the ground by his girlfriend.

Éponine struggled to come up with a counter argument but failed. She looked down at Enjolras, who was wearing a smug look on his face. She couldn't help but realize how ridiculous this whole situation was and she burst out laughing. Enjolras soon joined in, seemingly coming to the same conclusion that she had drawn.

And as she laughed she realized that she loved these moments with Enjolras. She loved these weird situations they got themselves into that were impossible to explain to other people and the silly jokes they made with each other that no one else would understand. All of these silly, weird little things were part of the world her and Enjolras had created together. A world no one else would understand, not even the Amis, because it only belonged to them.

And she realized that all of the things Enjolras' father had said to her were based on assumptions he had made, on things he hadn't seen.

He had never seen them together, and especially not like this. He hadn't seen how they were when they were alone. He hadn't seen how Enjolras liked to push back her hair when he was comforting her. He didn't feel the electricity between them. That tingled between their bodies even when they were standing on opposite sides of a room. He didn't see how they could carry on a conversation about the stupidest topics for hours on end while never getting bored. He didn't see that in the wake of the destruction he had left in the apartment, Enjolras had been the only one to pick her back up from her sadness, and Éponine had been the only one to pull Enjolras back down from his anger. He didn't know that they were both damaged when they had gotten together, and were still in the process of putting each other back together.

Éponine and Enjolras were the only ones who knew these things, because they were the only one who experienced them. And letting one man, who didn't even know anything important about her, make her doubt herself and what she had with Enjolras was just pathetic. The girl Enjolras had fallen for would not be that pitiful. That girl was strong and brave and beautiful and kind, And if she could be just half the girl Enjolras seemed to see when he looked at her, that would be enough. She needed to stop doubting herself, she needed to stop seeking reassurance from others before she acted, she needed to just take a leap and trust that Enjolras wouldn't let her fall flat on her face.

"Sebastian?" Éponine said softly. Enjolras had stopped laughing now but he still had the ghost of a smile on his face. He looked conflicted at her tone, like he didn't know whether to be nervous or excited.

"Your father said something else earlier too, something I left out," Éponine said hesitantly.

Enjolras immediately sat up at her words, or at least as much as he could while she was sitting on his legs. He propped himself up on his elbows, looking worried and furious. "What else did he say?" he asked in a low tone.

"He said that you didn't love me. He pointed out that you hadn't said the words yet," she said softly. Enjolras immediately opened his mouth but Éponine put her hand over it.

"I didn't tell you that so you would reassure me," she said quietly. "Just... listen to what I have to say alright?" Enjolras looked confused but nodded. She took her hand off his mouth.

Éponine continued, "At first when he said it I convinced myself that he had a point, that you hadn't said the words. That maybe you didn't love me. That you couldn't love a girl like me." Enjolras looked like he wanted to interject but stopped himself.

"My life has been everything I ever wanted it to be these last few weeks, and sometimes I am just waiting for something to go wrong, for the universe to correct itself and realize I shouldn't be this happy. I can't help but feel like this is all one big joke, like I'm in the movie _Carrie_, standing on a stage at prom, so blissful and happy and oblivious, and then the universe is going to drop a giant metaphorical bucket of blood on my head and everyone is going to start laughing at me." Enjolras was still looking at her seriously, but she saw his lips twitch a little at her comparison.

"But I can't just live like that, afraid to do anything. Your father was right about one thing, you haven't told me you love me yet. But I haven't said that I love you either. And I know that I do. I've known for a while now, I've just been too afraid to tell you. Like if I did you would have everything, you would have all of me. There would be no way of getting out of this unscathed, because there would be no way that something this wonderful could end without either of us getting hurt. But just because I haven't said the words doesn't mean I haven't already given you all of me, that you haven't given me all of you in return. And maybe it doesn't have to end, maybe I should just be happy with you here in the present, stop thinking about the past, and trust that we'll be this happy in the future. And right now, in the present, I know that I love you." Éponine looked into Enjolras' blue eyes, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She watched as the sides of his mouth turned up slowly, until he was wearing a truly radiant smile. She felt her heart skip a beat as she smiled back.

Enjolras pushed himself up onto his hands a little precariously. Éponine knew she should probably get off his legs, but she felt a little frozen at the moment. He lifted his hand, managing to balance on the other one, and brushed some of her hair from her face lightly. He looked into her eyes, his thumb stroking her cheek. He leaned in and kissed her softly. He pulled back but left his hand on her face

"I love you too, Éponine," he said softly, his eyes shining with happiness. Éponine's smile stretched so widely that it actually hurt. The pessimistic part of her didn't even try to convince her that he was lying, the pure love he was radiating at her with his gaze was enough to convince every part of her of the truth in his words.

"I'm sorry it has taken me this long to tell you. I've had such strong feelings for you for a while now, it just took me a long time to realize that what I felt was love. I've never done this before. I've never felt this way about anyone, and I didn't really know what to do, I didn't know if you felt the same way. I didn't want to scare you away," he said lightly. Éponine giggled.

"What?" Enjolras asked, a small smile on his face.

"I just realized how horrible we are with feelings. It's kind of a miracle we ever got together at all. If it were up to us we would just brood at each other from a comfortable distance for the rest of our lives," Éponine said with a smile.

Enjolras raised his eyebrow. "You know what we are better at than feelings?" he said with a grin on his face.

"What?" Éponine asked, curious.

Enjolras put his hand behind her head and pulled her towards him, their lips connecting as he kissed her slowly. Their mouths began to pick up pace. She could feel Enjolras' hands in her hair, and she wanted to be closer to him. Éponine put her arms around his neck and leaned in so she was practically in his lap. A moment later Enjolras accidently bit her lip as his hand slipped from the floor and he fell backward, bringing her with him as hit his head on the hardwood.

She ended up completely on top of him. Éponine held her slightly bleeding lip as Enjolras brought his hand to the back of his head and winced. Éponine couldn't stop a giggle from escaping her lips. Enjolras looked confused.

"Does my pain amuse you?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry," she said, smiling. "It's just, apparently we're not much better at that than we are at relationships."

"Hey, I think we ended up in a pretty nice situation if I say so myself." He gestured to their position, Éponine laying flat on top of him.

Éponine scoffed as she pulled herself off of him, despite Enjolras' protests. She leaned around to check his head, moving her fingers through his hair to check for any bumps.

"I think you're okay," she announced. "You're not bleeding."

He smiled at her and then looked concerned. "You're bleeding a little Éponine," he said anxiously. Moving his hand towards her face, touching her lip carefully. "Did I really bite you that hard?"

"It's nothing it's barely even bleeding," she reassured him. He still seemed a little skeptical. She opened her mouth to make a sarcastic comment but let out a long yawn instead.

"Okay, well it seems to be time for you to go to bed," he said. He picked her up before she could protest and put her on the bed. She wrapped her arms around his neck again. He smiled at her. "I'm having a weird sense of déjà vu..." he mused, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Well you could tickle me again which will result in another floor related injury, or you could just lay down with me," she said with a smile. Enjolras pretended to think seriously before laying down beside her. He gave her what was meant to be a quick kiss but turned into a continuation of what they had started on the floor. They stopped a few minutes later, Éponine and Enjolras' shirts both discarded on the ground, when Éponine yawned again.

"Okay," Enjolras said pointedly. "I think it really is time for you to go to bed. You are sleeping for two now," he said with a smile as he put a hand on her stomach. Éponine rolled her eyes at him but smiled at his words.

"You're an odd one, Sebastian. You get a girl in your bed and instead of trying to make a move you stop her in the middle of a make out session and tell her to go to sleep," Éponine said in mock-disbelief, shaking her head. She kissed him on the cheek. "But I love you anyway," she said with a smile as she turned around so that her back was facing him. Enjolras' arm came around her stomach as he tugged the covers over them and pulled her closer. He kissed the side of her head. "And I love you even though you spend half of our conversations verbally assaulting me." Éponine rolled her eyes at him again, but she felt a warm feeling move throughout her body. It was exhilarating to hear those words from his mouth, and to be able to say them to him whenever she wanted. A few moments passed and she felt herself drifting off to sleep in his warm arms when Enjolras began talking again.

"I just remembered what you said before about feeling like you were on stage and the universe was about to drop a bucket of metaphorical blood on your head. First _Misery_, now _Carrie_. Is there a reason you keep comparing our relationship to horror movies?" Enjolras asked in an amused voice.

"Don't forget _The Blob_," Éponine said sleepily.

"You're right, and that proves my point even further," Enjolras said with humor in his voice.

"Well, you know when you're watching a horror movie and the character is opening a door or something and you know that is where the monster is and you want to yell at the character to run away?"

"Yeah?" Enjolras said, confusion lining his tone.

"Well that's what being in a relationship with you is like," Éponine said drowsily.

Enjolras was silent for a few moments as he contemplated her words. "Wait, what does that mean?" he exclaimed, completely bewildered.

"Why don't you figure it out for yourself?" Éponine answered cryptically. In truth she had no idea what she was talking about either, but his confusion amused her.

Enjolras was silent for a few more moments. "So, I'm the monster? And you are the one opening the door?" he asked in a perplexed tone.

"No, you're the door and I'm the one yelling at the screen," Éponine responded.

Enjolras was silent for a few seconds. "You're screwing with me aren't you?" he asked in a bemused tone.

"Possibly," she said with a smirk on her face. "Now aren't we supposed to be sleeping?"

"Fine," he huffed in an exasperated way. "I'll make you pay for that tomorrow though," he promised as he snuggled closer to her. Éponine was too tired to argue with him.

Éponine was just losing consciousness when Enjolras spoke up again. Éponine suppressed a groan. For someone who had suggested she go to sleep, he was talking quite a lot.

"Sorry, but I just remembered that I never gave you that eloquent speech I promised you earlier," he said softly.

Éponine was confused for a moment until she remembered Enjolras promising that he would give her a speech contradicting what his father had said to her. She realized that she had barely thought of his father's words since the Amis had left.

"It's alright Sebastian," she said quietly. For the first time in a long time, she didn't need the reassurances of anyone else to make her feel good about herself. She already felt good about herself, about her life. "I don't think I need the speech this time. I think I'll be okay on my own," she said with confidence.

Enjolras didn't say anything, but she could feel his smile when he kissed her cheek. Éponine drifted off into an easy sleep in his arms, content in the knowledge that she had finally found someone who loved her just as much as she loved them.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The next week went by fairly uneventfully. It was finally the start of winter break so everyone was in good spirits from the lack of schoolwork. The Amis spent most of their time in the Musain, halfheartedly planning rallies and protests while really just joking around. They all enjoyed this free time, but they were a little confused as to why Enjolras was acting so relaxed and carefree. He was usually a slave driver around school breaks, insisting they should use the extra time to their advantage. It didn't take the Amis long to realize that a certain _someone_ might be the reason for the change in their normally diligent leader's demeanor.

On the surface, Enjolras and Éponine's relationship had not changed much from what it was before, but fundamentally something was very different. Everything seemed more real and more permanent, like any doubts they had had were washed away. They were always smiling, and when they were both in a room they seemed to gravitate towards each other without even noticing. They were nothing like Marius and Cosette. They didn't make out in the corners of the café or spend hours just sitting and gushing over each other. The most they would do in public was hold hands, or occasionally kiss one another on the cheek. But even though they tried not to show their love outwardly, it was evident in their shared gazes, in every touch no matter how small.

At first Combeferre forced the Amis not to comment on their friends' behavior, insisting that they were probably just excited for the holidays. But after a few days even he was getting a little exasperated. Whenever they were in a room together they were so cute that it was almost sickening. Musichetta had been in tears for days watching them interact.

On Monday Éponine and Enjolras were sitting next to each other working on some flyers for their latest cause, their legs touching and exchanging warm smiles every few minutes. Occasionally one would knock knees with the other on purpose and they would chuckle a little to themselves. At one point Éponine dropped her pen and when Enjolras bent down and handed it back to her she smiled as if he had given her a diamond necklace. Enjolras smiled back and they held each other's gazes for a few moments.

"Oh my god JUST GET A FUCKING ROOM ALREADY!" Grantaire suddenly yelled, breaking them out of their reverie. They both turned towards him, startled. Combeferre smacked Grantaire in the back of the head, though secretly he had been thinking the same thing when watching Éponine and Enjolras' sickeningly sweet exchange.

"What did you say Grantaire?" Enjolras asked with a confused expression. He had been too focused on Éponine to listen to his friend's outburst. Based on Éponine's expression she hadn't heard what Grantaire had said either. Grantaire looked between the two of them and shook his head in disbelief. "You guys are unbelievable. I need another beer," he muttered as he walked away. Enjolras shrugged his shoulders and he and Éponine went back to work, not noticing the looks on the rest of the Amis faces. Joly mimed throwing up but stopped abruptly when he saw Musichetta at the counter, glaring at him while simultaneously dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.

On Wednesday Combeferre came into the café and found Jean Prouvaire sitting in a chair eating popcorn while staring at Éponine and Enjolras, who were eating lunch together a few tables away.

"Um, what exactly are you doing?" he asked curiously.

"Shhh," Jean Prouvaire said aggressively. "They were just discussing what they were going to do for Christmas." He sighed as Enjolras whispered something in Éponine's ear and she giggled. "This is better than a romantic movie, and its free," he said with a wistful look on his face. "And this stuff is poetry gold." Combeferre wondered whether he should give his friend the speech about the difference between real life and movies again but he didn't have the energy. So he just rolled his eyes and walked away as Jean Prouvaire munched happily on his popcorn.

He looked over at the happy couple again as Jean Prouvaire squealed in glee. Enjolras had leaned over and put his hand on Éponine's stomach. He was looking up at her in adoration while she smiled at him, blushing slightly. Combeferre couldn't help but feel his heart warm as he watched them, realizing that Éponine was carrying his godson or goddaughter. He felt his throat constrict a little before he turned away from them and shook his head. He noticed Jean Prouvaire looking at him with an amused expression. He held up his popcorn with a raised eyebrow, as if asking him if he wanted to come join. Combeferre shook his head quickly and walked towards where the rest of the Amis were sitting, trying to think of some way to regain his manliness. He was seriously considering taking Bahorel up on his fight club idea.

It was on Friday when Enjolras and Éponine finally realized the effect they were having on their friends. They were sitting together on the couch, hands intertwined, seeming even happier than usual, if that was possible. They smiled at each other every few seconds, not even attempting to get any work done. Most of the Amis were wearing disgusted expressions as they just stared at them. Éponine whispered something in Enjolras' ear and he actually _giggled_. And that was when Courfeyrac snapped.

"Okay _enough_!" he yelled. Éponine and Enjolras looked startled by his sudden outburst. "We have tried to let you two be happy and all, but this is just getting out of hand." Enjolras and Éponine looked confused.

"What are you talking about?" Enjolras asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm talking about all the smiling and the glances and whispering and the touching, it's getting ridiculous. I can't handle it anymore! Enjolras you actually giggled before, you _giggled! _Did you even hear yourself?" Courfeyrac asked, his eyebrows raised.

Enjolras blushed a little. "That wasn't a giggle. It was a chuckle, or maybe a guffaw, but not a giggle," he said indignantly.

"It was a giggle," Courfeyrac said shortly. "And this is an intervention." Most of the Amis nodded their approval.

"So you're holding an intervention... because we are too happy?" Éponine asked incredulously.

"Yes," Courfeyrac said with conviction.

"And you all feel this way?" Enjolras asked. They nodded again. He looked at Combeferre, who had not nodded but seemed to be very interested in the rug.

"It's just, you're so happy, all the time. It's not natural," Feuilly said in an exasperated voice.

"I think it's great! I have written like fifteen poems already!" Jean Prouvaire said with a smile.

"You haven't yelled at Grantaire in over a week! And Éponine hasn't threatened him once! I think you have actually driven him to drink more," Bossuet said with a frown. Grantaire nodded at his statement sloppily as he spilled his beer down his front.

"And you are setting the bar way too high for the rest of us," Joly said with a nervous look at his girlfriend, who was busy at the counter. "I have had to get Musichetta flowers three times this week because she thinks we aren't as 'cute' as you two."

Bahorel just grunted, looking indifferent.

"Okay, I'm sorry that you feel that way, but why are we the ones getting the intervention?" Enjolras asked with his eyebrows raised. "There is no way we are worse than Marius and Cosette." He pointed to the corner of the room, where the soon-to-be newlyweds were making out rather heatedly, oblivious to the entire conversation.

When no one said anything Enjolras looked worried. "Seriously? You think we are worse than _them_?"

"I think what our friends mean is that we have come to expect this kind of behavior from Marius and Cosette, so we are used to it," Combeferre said a little timidly under Enjolras' stern gaze. "And although their incessant making out is annoying, somehow what you two are doing is worse. I don't even know how to put it. It's just that everything you do, every time you look at each other or touch each other or say anything to each other you look so in love that it's a little bit nauseating." At the look on Enjolras' face he added, ""Or at least I believe that is what they are trying to say." Combeferre ducked his head a little to avoid Enjolras' gaze.

"So what would you have the solution be? Do you want us to make out in front of you instead?" Éponine asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No," Courfeyrac said quickly. "I think everyone would just like it if you two were less happy. Not unhappy, just _less _happy. Like a normal amount of happy."

Enjolras and Éponine exchanged a bemused glance.

"Can you guys even hear yourselves right now?" Enjolras asked incredulously.

"Just look at it from our perspective," Feuilly said with a grimace. "What would you think if Bahorel brought a girl in here and started playing footsie with her under the table?"

Enjolras looked affronted. "We have never played footsie..."

"Yes, you did," Feuilly interrupted. "The other day at lunch. You know how I know? I was sitting next to Éponine and I'm pretty sure you only got _her_ foot about half the time." Enjolras turned bright red.

"And today it has been somehow worse! You haven't even been pretending to do your work like usual. You seem to have dropped the pretense and are literally just staring at each other, smiling and _giggling_," Courfeyrac said incredulously.

Éponine and Enjolras looked at each other for a moment. "Well, we were just really happy because we went to the doctor's earlier this afternoon and she said everything with the baby looks really good," Éponine said with a smile.

This seemed to quiet the Amis a little bit.

"Oh," said Courfeyrac. "Well that's good," he said awkwardly.

There was silence as all of the Amis looked a little ashamed of themselves, none more so than Combeferre, who couldn't even look up from the carpet.

After a few moments Enjolras broke the silence. "Do you want to see the ultrasound?" he opened his wallet and pulled out the small folded picture, handing it to Courfeyrac who was sitting in the middle of the couch. The rest of the Amis crowded around him, except for Marius, who was still attached to Cosette's face.

Courfeyrac's gaze softened as he looked at the picture. "Wow, it actually is a baby. I thought because it is half god it might have wings or a trident or something," he said jokingly, though his eyes looked very serious.

The Amis just stared at the photo wide-eyed for several moments. Some sniffling was heard from the back of the group and everyone turned around. Jean Prouvaire was wiping his eyes. "What? Did you guys really expect me not to cry at this?" he asked as tears streamed down his face.

The Amis shrugged and turned back to the photo.

"You know this is the first baby of Les Amis. It's like we're expanding. And it's the offspring of two Amis, it's basically genetically predetermined to be the most awesome baby ever," Courfeyrac said.

Éponine's eyes teared up a bit at the insinuation that she was one of the Amis as well.

Joly stared at the image for a few moments and perked up, "You know, I'm learning about this in class. I think I may be able to tell..."

Éponine interrupted him before he could finish. "I swear to god that if you tell me the sex of the baby, I will kick you in the crotch with so much force that you won't be able to discern whether _you_ are male or female ," she said fiercely. Joly looked frightened at her outburst.

"There she is! I knew scary Éponine was in there somewhere," Courfeyrac exclaimed with a smile before Éponine's glare shut him up.

"Hey, since it is the first Amis baby, I think we should have a say in naming it," Feuilly said. They started yelling out name suggestions.

"Well I think we should name it after it's godfather...," Combeferre suggested.

"No way," Jean Prouvaire piped up, his tears having dried slightly. "You should name it Ariel if it's a girl or Eric if it's a boy, that would be keeping up with your _The Little Mermaid_ theme."

"How about you name it Perseus or Hercules? I mean it is a demi-god after all," Grantaire slurred.

"You know, Fey could be a girl's name, you should keep that in mind," Courfeyrac mentioned nonchalantly.

"Yeah, and if it's a boy you could name it Grant," Grantaire said excitedly.

Combeferre watched his friend's faces as the Amis continued to make suggestions. Éponine looked amused while Enjolras was smiling, but also making a face that clearly said, _there is no way in hell we are using any of these names. _He felt a little guilty about getting annoyed by his friend's happiness. If anyone deserved to have some joy in their lives it was Enjolras and Éponine. He decided he would make more of an effort to stop his friends from making fun of them so often.

Combeferre chuckled as his friend's suggestions became more and more ridiculous. (Joly suggested naming the baby after his favorite contagious disease.)

Everyone was having so much fun that he was the only one to notice the bell chime above the door. It was a pretty slow day at the Musain so he turned around to see who it was. He took in the man's stature, slightly blonde gray hair, and very familiar yet cold face. His heart plummeted.

He turned back to his friends, Éponine and Enjolras both smiling widely, not yet noticing who had entered the café. Combeferre realized that the failed happiness intervention they had just staged had not been necessary. Someone had just walked in whose very presence almost guaranteed that Éponine and Enjolras would not be acting quite so gloriously happy in a few moments. Combeferre took a deep breath as he watched his friends' blissfully ignorant faces, enjoying the last few moments of peace before all hell had the chance to break loose.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

It only took Enjolras a few moments to notice the newcomer. He met his father's gaze and the warmth and laughter that had been glowing in his eyes immediately extinguished. Enjolras felt all of the fury he had been ignoring for the past week come rushing back. His father did not seem phased by his glare, he simply raised one eyebrow and walked over to where the Amis were sitting. Enjolras felt Éponine take his arm, knowing she had spotted him too. The Amis were still suggesting names and laughing, none except Combeferre noticing the man slowly approaching them.

Courfeyrac was the first to notice the expressions on Enjolras and Éponine's faces.

"Hey guys, calm down. You don't actually have to use any of these names, they are just suggestions," he said quickly, afraid most of all of the furious look on Éponine's face.

Most of the Amis startled when a low voice broke through their friendly banter. "So, this is where you spend your time Sebastian? It's kind of grubby for my taste but I guess I should just be happy it's not a street corner or a dive bar." He looked distastefully at the beer clutched in Grantaire's hands and the beer stains down his shirt. "I can't say I am too impressed by the company you keep however."

Most of the Amis were staring at the elder Enjolras with their mouths hanging open. Even Marius had unattached himself from Cosette's face to gape at him. They had heard about the horrible things he had done in the past week but somehow they had not imagined him to be quite so unpleasant.

"Not everyone chooses their friends based on their net worth," Enjolras said tersely, cold fury in his eyes.

His father didn't respond. He turned to Éponine. "I see that you decided against my offer. It's a pity, I really did think you were a smart girl," he said icily.

"I am smart, why do you think I didn't take your offer? Why take half a million dollars when I could have twelve million?" she said dryly, fire in her eyes.

Enjolras' father did not seem to pick up on her sarcastic tone. He pulled out his wallet. "How about I write you a check right now for one million? Will that do it?" he asked seriously. The Amis were just sitting there, staring at the proceedings in shock. Bahorel was cracking his knuckles, as if ready for a fight.

"Alright sure," Éponine said sweetly with a deadly smile on her face. "Why don't you make it out to _fuck_ you, you conceited asshole?" She gave Enjolras' father a glare that could have melted the paint off of his expensive car.

He looked a little taken aback, his eyes flickering with surprise and anger. He had probably been expecting the submissive girl he had met the week before. A few of the Amis laughed. Courfeyrac muttered, "Go Éponine," in an impressed voice. The corner of Enjolras' lips turned up slightly. He felt a sudden surge of love towards Éponine. It had been a long time that he had seen anybody get a reaction, no matter how small, out of his father.

His father's face quickly went back to its normal cold state. He turned towards his son. "She has quite a mouth on her doesn't she?" he said dryly.

"Actually I think she was just stating the truth. If I remember correctly you are a conceited asshole, and I think the fuck you was rightly deserved," Enjolras said icily, his eyes as cold as his fathers.

Enjolras' father managed to stop himself from reacting to his son's comment, but his eyes blazed with anger and a small amount of hurt. Enjolras had always acted out and they had had a lot of arguments, but he had never directly insulted his father in such a vehement manner before.

"I can see that you are taking her side," his father said calmly, though his eyes flashed with rage. "This girl is conning you, can't you see it? She just wants your money, she doesn't care about you at all," he said in a harsh tone.

"And how do you know that? Have you even had an actual conversation with her? Or did you just insult her and try to bribe her? Do you really believe that just because she didn't have a lot of money when she was younger she _must_ be trying to get my money now? It might surprise you, but not everyone sees life as a continual search to acquire more wealth," Enjolras spit out, his voice getting louder.

"If you really believe that then you are just that naïve little boy. This is the real world, you can't just go blindly trusting every slut that jumps so willingly into your bed," his father said spitefully, his voice rising.

Enjolras stood up at this and took a step towards his father, the fury on his face growing by the second. "Don't talk about Éponine like that," he said in a low growl.

Most of the café was silent by this point. The few patrons beside the Amis seemed to have noticed the commotion and quickly left. Musichetta briskly walked to the door and turned the sign around from open to closed.

"She really has you wrapped around her little finger doesn't she? Do you really think you have feelings for this girl?" Enjolras' father exclaimed in an incredulous voice. "I understand the appeal of girls like her, they're pretty and they're desperate. You can fool around with them when you're young but you don't start a _family_ with them. You don't spend your life with them. She isn't good enough for you. She isn't good enough to be entitled to your money. You are of a higher class Sebastian. You have to think about that when choosing someone to settle down with," he bellowed, his voice increasing in volume with every word.

"Éponine is more than good enough for me. If anything I don't deserve her. This idea you have that being born into money makes you more worthy than other people is old-fashioned and idiotic," Enjolras shouted, passion flaming in his eyes. "Why should we look up to people who didn't have to work for what they have? Who were just born with everything? Why would I ever want to settle down with one of those spoiled society girls who barely have a thought of their own? Éponine is smart and brilliant and witty and independent and kind and brave. She is worth all of those society girls combined. And I am going to start a family with her. It has already started; there is no turning back now. And no matter what you think of Éponine, I can't believe you tried to send her away with our child, with your grandchild," he said incredulously. His eyes softened for a moment. He spoke more quietly. "Does it mean nothing to you that this baby is your flesh and blood too? Do you care at all?" he asked hesitantly, his eyes wide and slightly pleading.

His father's expression did not falter at his son's change in tone. "I would be overjoyed if my grandchild were being born to a nice girl of high class after you two had been married for a respectable amount of time. But do you think I could ever be happy that my son is having a child out of wedlock with some trash he met on the street? This baby will be half of you, but it will also be half of her, half of conmen and thieves. Maybe our genes will overcome hers, but I doubt that the child will escape without some of her more unfortunate qualities," his father scoffed.

Enjolras' eyes flamed, his face morphing into an expression of disgust at his father's words. "Are you serious? You wouldn't love your own grandchild because you don't like his or her mother? Even though you haven't even bothered to get to know her? We would only be so lucky if the baby ended up with more of Éponine's traits than mine. Maybe then we could avoid having a child that ended up anything like _you_," he said furiously, with contempt lacing his tone.

He was standing closer to his father now, his stance predatory. Many of the Amis were now standing as well, as if they were waiting for a fight to break out. Though if they would hold Enjolras back or join in was anybody's guess.

His father scoffed, though Enjolras saw hurt flash through his eyes for a second at his last comment. He changed the topic, obviously realizing that simply insulting Éponine wasn't getting him anywhere. "I hope you don't have the mistaken notion that I am going to still be giving you your trust fund so that you can use it to start a life with this girl. Because if you choose to proceed with this little 'family' of yours I sure as hell won't be the one funding it. Are you really ready to give up 12 million dollars for a girl that will probably leave you the second it is gone?"

"Let me tell you a secret, _Dad_." Enjolras spit out the last word like it was an insult. "I don't care about the money. I have never cared about the money. All I cared about was what I could do with the money, how many people I could help. But it's not worth it anymore. It's not worth this. So please, take the money. It will save me from having to pretend that your views and your ideas about society don't disgust me, that you aren't a horrible person. Do whatever you want with it. You can keep it for yourself, you can lock it up and do nothing with it just to spite me, you can donate it to charity and show that you actually care about anything other than yourself, or you can let me have it. You can let me do something good with it. But I don't really expect you to do that," he said softly.

Surprise flashed in his father's eyes. It was quickly replaced by anger. "Are you really going to make that bet, do you really think your little beggar girl will stay with you when you can't offer her any more than an ordinary life?" he sneered.

Enjolras snorted disbelievingly. "God, you are so fixated on this," he said in a loud voice, exasperated. "Why is this so hard for you to comprehend? I love her and she loves me, and we are having this baby _together_. It's that simple. She has always known that I wasn't planning on keeping the money, and she doesn't care because that was never her reasoning behind any of this. You didn't even bother to get to know her. You are just assuming things from her past, a past she doesn't need to be ashamed of. This isn't like high school. You can't just throw money at my 'problems' and make them go away. And Éponine isn't a problem. _You_ are the problem," he said quietly, his tone hard. They were only inches away from each other now. There was silence as they stared at each other, both unyielding. Finally Enjolras' father broke the silence, speaking slowly and clearly.

"You are going to choose this life over the your inheritance and throw away all of the opportunities I have afforded you? Are you really telling me you are going to choose this gutter rat and these drunk hooligans over your family? Over a father who fed you and clothed you and kept a roof over your head for 18 years?" he said in a voice full of disbelief and anger.

Enjolras stood as straight as he could, glad that he had about an inch of height on his father. "Yes, that is exactly what I'm telling you," he said forcefully. "Éponine is ten times the person you will ever be. She's not a 'gutter rat', and I don't care where she comes from, that doesn't define who she is as a person. And you and me? We aren't family. You kept a roof over my head and you fed and clothed me, but that is not enough to make you a father. You haven't been my father since mom died, since you stopped looking at me directly or interacting with me in more than single word sentences. These people, Éponine and these 'drunk hooligans' as you call them, they are my family. They have been more of a family than I ever had in that cold lifeless mansion that you call a home. And I have Celeste. We may not talk often but I can still stand to be around her. And when this baby comes, it will be part of that family too. Who do you have? You don't have mom, you don't have me, you won't have Celeste and her children when I tell her about all of the shit you've tried to pull, and you certainly as hell are never going to have this grandchild." He spoke the last words in a deadly whisper, his eyes dark as they stared unflinchingly into his father's cold eyes.

Enjolras' father raised his eyebrows. He spoke in a glacially cold tone, his voice dripping with disdain, "So this is it then. Do you think your mother would be proud of what you're doing here? Of this sorry excuse for a 'family' that you've pulled together? Your mother would have wanted you to do something with your life, not hang around with whores and low-lives, drinking coffee and making a fool of yourself," he taunted, knowing just where to push to hurt his son the most.

Sure enough, Enjolras' eyes filled with pain at his words and he looked down. His father seemed triumphant for a moment, a sickening smile stretching across his features. After a moment Enjolras looked back up, his eyes determined. His father's smile faltered a little.

Enjolras spoke quietly. "You know what, I can't really be sure that mom would agree with what I am doing. I was really young when she died and she was sick through most of my childhood. But I remember that she was kind and good, and that the last thing she told me was to always do what I thought was right. And that is what I have tried to do for my entire life. And even if she might not like my choices I think she would be proud of that." There were tears shining in his eyes but he didn't let them fall.

He took a deep breath as he looked at his father with contempt. "But you? I know that the woman I remember would not be proud of _you_. I don't really know what she saw in you. Maybe you used to be different. I can remember a time when I actually wanted to be around you, although that was probably just childish ignorance. And I remember that when she got sick, you got her the best medicine that money could buy and the best treatments. And that could be considered the actions of a dedicated husband. But I know why you did it, why you 'fought' so hard for her. It was so that when you were with your colleagues and your clients and your 'friends' from the country club and they asked about your wife's health you could say you were fighting as hard as you could, together. But you weren't together really, because the second she wasn't your perfect, shiny, healthy wife you could barely stand to look at her." Enjolras' voice was rising, the words leaving him in a rush as if he had been holding them in for years.

"And when she was home, when we knew there were only a few months left, you barely visited her side more than a few minutes every day. I know because I was there the whole time. Celeste and I were there every second, because we loved her and we wanted her to know that and we wanted to be with her as much as we could before the end. And when the end did come, you were on a fucking _business trip_. You knew how sick she was, the doctors said that she only had a few days left but you claimed that the trip was important, that you couldn't skip it. But no trip is that important, I don't care if it would have lost you millions of dollars. You should have been there with her, with us. You asked her to 'hold on' before you left, as if you really wanted her to. How fucking selfish, that she should have to hold on to her painful, miserable life for the likes of _you_. That she should wait to die at a time that was more _convenient_ for you. You got back in time for the funeral, in time to receive the condolences you didn't deserve. And then you could barely look at Celeste or me. You know why? It was because you felt guilty. Because you didn't want to deal with the fact that you ignored her, you ignored your family when they needed you most. So your solution to ignoring your wife was ignoring your children. I was eleven, my mom had just died and I needed my dad. Instead I got you. My mom, she needed her husband and instead she got you. In public you try to act like you have it all together, like you know everything. You hide behind your insults and your big words and the fear you incite in other people. But I know who you really are deep down. And what you are, what you will always be, is a _coward_."

It happened quickly, and the sound was deafening. For a moment time seemed to freeze, and everyone just stood in shock. Enjolras was bent over, hand on his face. His father was standing over him with an angry expression, his hand still raised in a half fist, hair in disarray and with a wide-eyed look, like even he knew he had gone too far. The Amis had their mouths open, looking enraged, none more so than Éponine.

With the sound of the blow still ringing in their ears, the Amis all rushed towards Enjolras and his father, looking murderous. Enjolras stopped them with one look. They froze in place and waited for their leader to speak. Éponine had to be held back from attacking his father by Combeferre.

Enjolras turned to his father as he removed his hand from his face. He stood up to his full height and stared straight into his father's eyes, as if he were searching for something. His face fell for a moment when he didn't find what he was looking for, and his expression hardened. When he spoke his voice was as clear and eloquent as ever, but with none of its usual warmth. "I've had this idea in my head since I was young that maybe you would change one day, that you would become the father I never really had. But I'm too old to pretend anymore, and I'm tired of waiting. It was fine when it was just me you were screwing up, but I'm not going to inflict you on those that I love. I don't want you around my friends. I don't want you around Éponine. And I never want you around our child. I think you should leave. I want you gone. I hope that one day you will realize that you have spent your entire life valuing the wrong things. That money can't replace friends or family or basic human dignity. And if that day comes, if you ever become just a trace of the father I used to know, of the man my mother fell in love with, then you can contact me. But I won't be holding my breath," he said calmly, his tone expressionless.

For a moment, something akin to remorse seemed to appear in the elder Enjolras' eyes. But it was gone almost a second after it came, and Enjolras wondered if he had even really seen it at all. His father turned and saw that the Amis surrounded him. Éponine was still being held back by Combeferre and she looked ferocious, like she would pounce if she were released. Bahorel was already in a fighting stance, ready to start swinging fists if Enjolras so much as gave him a nod.

The Amis parted slowly to let the elder Enjolras leave, each glaring at him steadily as he walked slowly to the door, past a gaping Musichetta who was frozen in place in front of the counter. He turned in the doorway and looked back one last time. He glanced over all of the Amis, who were standing in a protectively around Enjolras, including Éponine, who was giving him a glare full of wrath. His gaze finally settled on his son, whose eyes were hard and unforgiving. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, and then closed it as if he thought better of it. He inclined his head at his son so slightly it was almost imperceptible. Then he walked out of the door, and out of his son's life forever, without another word.

They stood in silence for a moment once he was gone. Combeferre finally felt free to release Éponine. She walked carefully towards Enjolras and placed her hand upon his shoulder. He looked down at her, completely drained. The light that usually shined in his eyes had dimmed so much that it had almost gone out entirely. Éponine wordlessly pulled him in for a tight hug. He put his arms around her securely as he buried his face in her neck, in her hair. She rubbed his back soothingly. He could feel the bump of her stomach between them, and it felt like they were a family, standing there together.

It was the most emotion that they had ever shown in front of the Amis, but no one made a sound. They just waited patiently until Enjolras was ready to come out of the safety of her embrace. When he emerged his eyes were a bit red-rimmed, but no one commented on it. There was silence for a few moments. Courfeyrac was the first to break it.

"So that was your father," Courfeyrac stated simply.

Enjolras just nodded.

"No offense, but he's kind of a dick," Courfeyrac said with a half smirk.

Enjolras couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face as a few of the Amis chuckled a bit.

"I would say he's more of a bastard myself," Grantaire said lightly.

"Really? Because I thought Éponine's use of 'asshole' was spot on," Joly said with a contemplative look on his face.

"No, I think douchebag would be a better description," Combeferre said. The rest of the Amis chimed in as well.

"Shithead."

"Asshat."

"Fuckface"

"Bitch."

The last one finally got a small laugh out of Enjolras and all of the Amis smiled. Many of them patted Enjolras on the shoulder before moving to sit down again. Musichetta came up to them and wordlessly handed Enjolras a bag of frozen peas, nodding her head toward him with a small smile. Éponine looked at the bruise that was already forming over his eye, touching the slightly swollen skin carefully. She realized with a wave of rage that his father had left a small, painful looking indent near Enjolras' brow. He must have been wearing a ring.

"It's not that big of a deal Éponine," Enjolras said quietly. "I know you've had to deal with much worse." He was referring of course to the various scars she had on her body from the many times her father had beaten her. They had faded but they were still visible. She kissed his cheek lightly, near his bruise. "That doesn't mean it didn't hurt," she said, a knowing look in her eyes. Enjolras knew she wasn't talking about the physical pain. She reached up stroked his face softly, right on the outskirts of where the bruise was forming. He shut his eyes at the contact, breathing out slowly. When he opened them again she was looking at him intently. She leaned forward slowly and gave him a slow, lingering kiss on the lips. For a few seconds everything about the day melted away for Enjolras. And when they pulled apart, their foreheads still touching, he realized he felt a bit better.

"I love you," she said softly.

"I know," he whispered. That was all she wanted to hear at the moment.

They pulled apart slowly and she lifted the bag and positioned the peas carefully on his bruise. He raised his hand to hold them there, placing his hand on top of hers for a moment before she let go of the bag, taking his other hand instead. They went back to sit with the Amis. If any of them had noticed their kiss no one mentioned it.

There was silence for a few moments, as if no one knew what to say. "So, about those baby names," Courfeyrac said suddenly, picking up where they had left off. "Something we haven't considered yet is naming the baby after this wonderful establishment. I think Musain or Café has a nice ring to it." After a beat the rest of the Amis continued to suggest names as well, each more bizarre that the last, as if nothing had happened.

Enjolras sat with his friends as they laughed and joked, acting more ridiculous that usual just to cheer him up. Éponine sat beside him, her hand intertwined with his, her other hand running soothingly through his hair. He knew he should feel upset, like something important had just been ripped from his life forever. But he couldn't help but feel content, because he hadn't really lost a thing. Everyone that mattered to him was right here, and they weren't going anywhere.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: First of all, I just want to say I am so sorry that this update took me so long. I have had this chapter almost done for a few days now with no time to finish it. I just want to reassure everyone that I won't abandon this story. I have a very clear idea of where I am going with it and it will be completed. School has been very busy lately, especially with finals coming up, but I'll update as often as I can. I also wanted to say thank you for the reviews on the last chapter, they were really lovely. In fact your reviews have always been very kind and helpful, so thank you all so much for the feedback! Here is the long-awaited chapter 24. Enjoy. **

* * *

Chapter 24

"And then your dad said, 'Grantaire give me back my pants or I swear to god I will go to your apartment and pour every last drop of alcohol you own down the drain' and your uncle Grantaire finally gave him back his pants they all lived happily ever after," Éponine finished. She looked up and saw Enjolras watching her bemusedly.

"Must you tell that story?" Enjolras asked with an amused roll of his eyes. He smiled widely though at her use of the word 'dad'.

Éponine smiled. They were sitting on the couch, and Enjolras had been so engrossed in his work that she had felt the need to distract him. She had been talking to her stomach, telling the baby all of the embarrassing stories about Enjolras she could think of. At first he had smirked a little bit when she told the story of "Drunk Enjolras and the Extremely Resilient Shower Curtain Mold," and now by the story of "Grantaire and the Mysterious Disappearing Clothes" he was smiling at her, his eyes finally on her instead of his work. Éponine was glad, that had been her intention.

It had been a few days since the incident with his father. Everything had mostly gone back to normal. It would almost seem like nothing had happened in the first place, except for the rather large black eye that Enjolras now wore. It almost looked worse than it had the day before, but at least most of the swelling had gone down. Joly had told them that soon it would turn green then yellow or brown and then fade entirely. She hadn't told Joly that she already knew all of this; she had a lot of experience with bruises.

"Well if you would stop working maybe I wouldn't have to amuse myself on Christmas Eve..." Éponine said with a pout.

Enjolras had been working a lot over the past few days, ever since the incident with his father. He had gotten them started on a new cause lately, about the corrupt law enforcement in Paris. The issue itself made her nervous, as a former thief she knew that it was better to try not to piss off the police if at all possible. But at the same time he was right, she knew more than anyone how corrupt the police were in their city. Half of them had been in her father's pocket, which was why it had taken him so long to get caught and thrown in jail. She knew this was just Enjolras' way with coping with what had happened, and with the inheritance he had lost. Without the money he felt that he needed to be doing more now than ever before. His passion was part of the reason she loved him, but at the moment it was also scaring her.

Enjolras put down his papers with a sigh. "I'm sorry Éponine, I know this is our first Christmas together and I've been distracted...," he said in an apologetic voice. Neither of them were religious or cared much about the holidays, family traditions not haven taken much precedence in either of their houses. But they had planned on having a nice Christmas, just exchanging a few gifts and spending the day together.

"It's alright," Éponine interjected quickly. "I understand," she said quietly, putting her hand on his. Enjolras rarely went home for the holidays, but it had always been an option, and she knew that the fact that it wasn't anymore was hurting him more than he would like to admit. She herself always felt a little sad around this time as well, thinking about her siblings all spread out and so far away from her. "I don't need anything big or fancy. In fact the only times I have actually enjoyed the holidays have been with you and the Amis here at college. I just want to spend some time with you."

Enjolras smiled a little sadly. "I want to spend time with you too. I promise, no more work until after Christmas," he said reassuringly.

"Well if you are not working than what ever will we do?" Éponine said vaguely, a smile on her face.

"I have an idea..." Enjolras said seductively. He leaned in slowly and she closed her eyes when his face was about an inch from hers. But instead of feeling his lips on hers she felt a weight in her lap. She opened her eyes in confusion and glanced down to see Enjolras smiling up at her, his head in her lap and his body sprawled across the couch.

"I'm sorry, were you expecting something else?" he teased, his eyes shining with mirth. "Well, there will be time for that later, but right now I need to clear something up. Our son or daughter now knows all of the embarrassing things I have done, but not about any of their mother's misdeeds. I think it's important that I correct this imbalance, don't you?" he asked with a smile.

Éponine rolled her eyes but smiled. "I guess it's only fair," she shrugged.

Enjolras turned towards the bulge in Éponine's stomach and cleared his throat dramatically. "This is the story of 'Éponine and the Extremely Rude Yet Incredibly Handsome Customer'." Éponine rolled her eyes again at the title.

"Once upon a time there was a girl named Éponine. She didn't have a very nice life when she was younger. Her parents were cruel and cared for no one but themselves. But Éponine was not like them, she was smart and kind and resilient. She worked hard and managed to escape from her old life so she could start a new one. And it was in this new life that she met a group of very handsome young men called Les Amis, who longed to change the world just as much as she did. And she got along with them very well, that is until she met their leader, Enjolras. She had met all of the Amis on separate occasions, but she had yet to meet them as a group, as they had not yet chosen the place she worked, the Musain, as their basis of operation. And one day an incredibly handsome man came to the counter at her work, and she decided to accost him by throwing an iced coffee in his face."

Éponine blushed, "Hey, I didn't throw it in your face I tripped..." she sputtered.

Enjolras shushed her. "Hey, this is my story, remember? Where was I? Oh yes, so it was very late at night, and the man was very stressed out about a very important paper he had to write for the next day, so he didn't react very well to having his coffee thrown into his face..."

"You were a jerk," Éponine interjected with a smile.

"Hey, what did I say before?" Enjolras looked up at her with a smile. "Nevertheless he was a bit of a jerk and he made a comment that was not very polite. And he was surprised when instead of apologizing to him, she insulted him. And although he knew he deserved it, he was too proud to admit defeat, so he insulted her right back and then asked if she was going to clean up the rather considerable mess she had made on the floor and all over his shirt. And they somehow got into an argument about woman's rights and traditional gender roles, which lasted half an hour. And by the end this stubborn, arrogant man found himself speechless and without a counter-argument. And Éponine smiled at him in triumph and told him to have a nice day as she handed him a new coffee. It was love at first sight, even if it took them three years to realize it. He walked out in a daze; it had been a long time since anyone had beaten him in an argument, let alone a random barista. It wasn't until he got back to his dorm that he realized he should have asked this amazing, whip-smart girl to come to a meeting for the activist group he had just started on campus. He was too proud to go back to the café to ask her himself. But alas, fate intervened, and his friend Marius asked if he could bring a girl he had met to the next meeting. And this girl turned out to be Éponine, and they got into another argument, and she beat him again. And he surprised her by smiling and shaking her hand, and then asking for her opinion on the slums on the outskirts of the city. And from that day on, they were friends. And eventually they became more than friends and they created you. And then they lived happily ever after," Enjolras finished.

Éponine was smiling at him. "So we live happily ever after then do we?"

Enjolras pretended to think for a moment. "Yes, I think so," he said confidently.

Éponine smiled widely. "I can't help but notice that that story didn't exactly smear my reputation like you said you were going to," she said with a raised eyebrow.

Enjolras smiled. "I guess you just haven't done as many things wrong as I have."

Éponine scoffed. "That's very sweet, but it's a total lie." Enjolras just smirked up at her from his spot on her lap.

Éponine looked down at him as she smoothed back some of his hair. She felt a rush of contentment, along with a funny fluttering feeling in her stomach. She frowned when she realized that there actually was something fluttering in her stomach.

Enjolras looked concerned at the change in her expression and sat up quickly. "What's wrong?" he asked anxiously. "Do you feel alright? Is it something with the baby?"

To his surprise a huge smile broke out over Éponine's face. "No, I mean yes it is something with the baby but there's nothing wrong," she said a little breathlessly. She put her hand on her stomach. "I think I felt the baby move."

Enjolras' eyes grew wide. "Really?" he asked in an awed voice. He put his hand on her stomach as well. "What does it feel like?"

"Sort of like a flutter? Like there's a butterfly in there or something," Éponine said softly. She gasped when she felt it again.

She smiled at him widely and was confused when she saw a tiny bit of disappointment in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He looked surprised that his emotions had shown in his face. "It's nothing," he said hesitantly. "It's stupid, I just wish I could feel it too. I think it will be a few weeks at least before I'll be able to feel the baby move," he said with a sad smile.

Éponine stroked his hair lightly. "Are you jealous?" she asked in a joking tone.

"Yes, very," he responded with a smile.

"Well I would say you could trade places with me, but at the moment I am actually kind of enjoying being pregnant. I would gladly let you do the actual giving birth part though," she said mischievously.

Enjolras winced. "You know, I would love to, but I just don't think I have the correct anatomy for that."

"And you think I do? If they really expected me to push a seven pound baby out of that opening, then why did they make it so small?" Éponine asked semi-seriously.

Enjolras looked deeply uncomfortable. "Umm, well I think it you know, stretches, when you go into labor," he said awkwardly.

Éponine laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "You're cute when you're tripping over your words," she said lightly.

"And I'm not cute the rest of the time?" he asked in an overly offended voice.

Éponine just laughed and kissed him lightly on the mouth.

"This is pretty amazing though," Enjolras said when they separated. "I feel like we should celebrate or something. I guess champagne is out of the question," he said, gesturing to Éponine's stomach.

Éponine looked around the room as she thought about what they could do. She took in the tiny plastic Christmas tree they had put up in the corner that was halfheartedly decorated with Christmas lights and some cheap dollar store ornaments. It had a small pile of presents under it and it was pretty much the only sign in their entire apartment that pointed to the fact that it was the holidays. She had an idea.

"You know, Cosette was telling me the other day that her and her father have this tradition of opening one present on Christmas Eve. I know neither of us really had any traditions with our families so maybe we could make our own?" Éponine said tentatively. She felt shy all of the sudden and she avoided his eyes. Asking him to create a tradition with her felt so serious, she didn't want to freak him out.

She didn't look up until she felt his hand on hers. He was smiling widely. "I think that's a great idea," he said sincerely. He looked at their tiny tree and chuckled a little. "And maybe next year we can do a better job at decorating."

Éponine pushed his arm playfully. "Hey, I worked really hard on that star," she said with a smile. She was referring to the star she had crudely cut out of a piece of scrap paper yesterday and taped to the top of the tree. It looked like it was going to fall off any second.

"No, I'm sorry you're right, that star is a thing of beauty," he said almost genuinely. Éponine rolled her eyes at him. "Come on," she said, standing up. "Let's choose our presents."

They walked over to their pathetic tree and stared at the presents, both a little unsure of how to proceed. "Are we just going to choose randomly?" Enjolras asked hesitantly.

"I guess so. I mean this is our tradition, we can do whatever we want," Éponine answered uncertainly. She bent down and picked up a small, square box wrapped in red paper. Enjolras followed her lead and picked up one of her presents, a thin box wrapped in newspaper because she had been too lazy to buy wrapping paper. They sat at the couch and stared at each other.

"So who opens their present first?" Enjolras asked.

"You, definitely you," Éponine answered. He had picked up one of her sillier gifts and Éponine did not want her present to have to follow Enjolras' most likely very thoughtful gift. They had agreed not to spend much money on each other, and Éponine had had a very hard time finding something perfect for Enjolras. In the end she had picked up a few historical books she had seen him eyeing in the bookstore along with a few other miscellaneous things. It was hard to shop for a man who denounced material things. Her best gift was that she had bribed Grantaire into agreeing to be sober for three days of the year. She had arranged it so Enjolras got to choose the days. She knew Enjolras would greatly appreciate that present.

Enjolras looked at her curiously as he carefully and very slowly unwrapped the gift while managing not to tear the newspaper at all.

"Seriously Enjolras? I wrapped it in newspaper, you can rip it," Éponine said, exasperated. Enjolras smirked as if he knew just how much he was annoying her. He folded the newspaper carefully into a perfect square while Éponine rolled her eyes. When he finally opened the lid of the lid of the box he smiled brightly and chuckled.

"I think this is a little small for me," he joked as he held the tiny onesie up to his chest. It had the words, "Daddy's Little Rebel" printed across the front. He put it across Éponine's stomach. "There, that's better."

Éponine laughed at his antics. "I know it's silly but I saw it in the store and I just couldn't resist..." Enjolras silenced her with a kiss. "I love it," he said earnestly. Éponine smiled as he took the onsie back, folding it neatly in the box.

Éponine inspected her present. It was about the size of a DVD but was too thick and the material underneath the paper seemed plushy. She really had no idea what it could be. She looked up at Enjolras inquisitively, and he seemed a little nervous. Her curiosity overtook her and she ripped off the wrapping paper with a flourish, as it should be done. She was surprised to find what looked like a jewelry box. She opened the box hesitantly and felt her mouth go dry. Inside was the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. It had a white gold chain and a small pendant with an intricate pattern of intertwining sapphires and diamonds that formed into a flower. It wasn't showy or gaudy, and to the untrained eye it might look inexpensive, a replica made out of crystal and cubic zirconia. But Éponine did not have an untrained eye, and she knew how expensive it was. She looked up to see Enjolras watching her expectantly, trying to gauge her reaction. Instead of feeling thankful, she felt anger and annoyance rise inside of her. She hit him in the shoulder, hard, and his expression turned into one of confusion and hurt.

"We said we weren't going to spend a lot of money on each other," Éponine hissed, irritated. Understanding dawned on Enjolras' face. "I didn't spend any money on it," Enjolras said with a small smile. In response to Éponine's blank look he added quietly, "It was my mother's."

Éponine's eyes grew wide. She looked at the necklace again. "Enjolras, I can't..." she said in a shocked voice.

"Yes, you can," Enjolras interrupted softly. "A few months after my mother died my sister and I split up some of her belongings between us. I had always liked that necklace, it was my mother's favorite and she used to wear it all the time. Celeste said it had too many memories for her. She told me to take it and give it someday to the girl I fell in love with. I was twelve so I told her that was gross and I would never fall in love. She just laughed at me and said that one day I'd meet a girl and I would just know that she was the one. This necklace has been in my drawer for ten years, just gathering dust. I want you to have it," he said gently. He met Éponine's gaze, her eyes shining with tears. She still looked a little uncertain, like no one would want to give her a present that meaningful. "Are you sure?" she asked hesitantly, her voice thick with tears.

Enjolras smiled. He carefully lifted the necklace out of the box and gently pushed her hair to one side. He moved behind her to close the clasp for her, and then put his hands on her shoulders. The necklace felt cool on her skin, his hands felt anything but. He kissed the back of her shoulder lightly, and she could feel his warm breath on her skin. He moved again so he was sitting in front of her and lightly played with the pendant on the necklace, his fingers brushing her skin. He looked into her eyes. "I'm sure," he said confidently.

She threw her arms around him swiftly, burying her face in his neck. He returned her embrace just as tightly. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear. "It's beautiful." They stayed in their embrace for a few moments, a few tears escaping Éponine's eyes and making a small wet patch on Enjolras' shirt. "I'm sorry you gave me such a beautiful and meaningful gift when all I got you was a onesie that we can't even use until the baby comes," Éponine sniffled.

"Hey, I love the onesie," Enjolras said lightly. He pulled back and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"How does it look?" Éponine asked lightly, gesturing to the necklace.

"You look beautiful," he said softly.

She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the mouth. He kissed her back with a little more force and she responded eagerly as he leaned back on the couch, taking her with him. They moved slowly, savoring each other's lips. "I love you," Enjolras whispered as Éponine kissed down his neck. Éponine lifted her head and looked into his eyes. "I love you too," she said quietly, running her fingers slowly through his hair. He smiled and pulled her back towards him, their lips meeting once again. Their kisses soon became more heated and their hands began to roam. Enjolras' hand had just made its way under Éponine's shirt when there was a knock at the door.

They surfaced for air, lips slightly swollen and hair a mess. They looked at each other in confusion, wondering who was at the door at ten o'clock at night on Christmas Eve. Enjolras groaned as Éponine moved from her position on top of him. "If that's the Amis singing Christmas carols again I'm going to kill them," he muttered as he stood up.

Éponine giggled at his rumpled appearance. "Hold on," she said quickly as he moved to get the door. She stood up and straightened out his shirt and then tried to smooth down his hair so that it didn't look like she had just spent the last twenty minutes running her fingers through it. "There," she said in triumph. "Now it only slightly looks like we were just making out on the couch. You're lucky I wasn't wearing lipstick."

Enjolras grinned and rolled his eyes at her as he moved to answer the door. Éponine quickly tried to fix her own appearance as well.

Enjolras opened the door hesitantly, expecting a very off-key rendition of "Deck the Halls". Instead his face morphed into one of surprise when he saw his sister standing in the doorway. She flung her arms around his neck in a tight hug before he could react.

"Uh...hi?" he said in a perplexed tone, hugging her back slightly. It was obvious that hugging wasn't a very common occurrence in the Enjolras family.

"I just talked to Dad, I am so sorry Sebastian," she said in a rush. "I didn't realize he didn't know about you two and the baby when I mentioned to it to him. And I can't believe he came here. I don't know what happened, he was very vague, but he said that he had disowned you and I knew that it was bad." She pulled back from the hug and looked at her brother. She gasped suddenly, reaching up to put her hand near his black eye. Enjolras flinched. "Did he do that to you?" she said quietly, her voice deadly serious.

Enjolras nodded his head slightly. Celeste's face morphed into rage. "That shithead," she seethed.

Enjolras looked stunned. "I don't think I have ever heard you swear before," he said in a shocked voice, his eyes wide.

"Oh, I used to swear all of the time, I just never did it around you because you were so young. And then by the time you were old enough I was a proper young lady, and proper young ladies do not swear," she mumbled almost as an afterthought. "I always knew that he was an ass, but I never thought he would actually take it this far. I always thought he suppressed his emotions too much to actually physically hurt someone. What did you say to him?" she asked incredulously.

"I called him a coward, among other things," Enjolras said simply.

"And he just punched you?" she said incredulously.

"Actually it was more like a slap, except he used his fist. I don't really think he knew what he was doing," Enjolras said contemplatively.

Celeste half-smiled. "No, I suppose he didn't." They stood there in silence for a moment. Celeste's eyes suddenly moved past Enjolras to Éponine, who was sitting somewhat awkwardly on the couch, obviously not wanting to interrupt their sibling bonding.

"Oh, you must be Éponine! I'm sorry I've been so rude. I'm Celeste, Sebastian's sister," she said kindly, moving towards the couch. Éponine stood up and shook her hand, smiling. Celeste had long, curly blonde hair and a kind face. She also had her father's exact eyes, but they were kind and inviting. Éponine was a little innerved to meet a member of Enjolras' family that was actually being nice to her. "Hi, it's really nice to meet you. Sebastian has told me a lot about you," Éponine said kindly.

Celeste's smiled. Éponine noticed her gaze linger for a moment on her necklace before she spoke. "And he's told me a lot about you. Actually he hasn't told me very much at all, but in his letter he talked about you for almost an entire paragraph and that's pretty much a declaration of love from my brother."

Éponine giggled a little. "Yes, he's not very open about his personal life is he?" she said with mirth in her voice.

Celeste laughed lightly. "You're telling me. In his letter he brought up that he had met a girl and then just casually mentioned you had moved in and were pregnant. Then he started talking about rising taxes as if his news was no big deal," she said with a smile. Éponine laughed.

"Hey, I'm right here," Enjolras muttered indignantly.

"Don't interrupt," Celeste said, waving her hand at him dismissively. "Éponine and I are talking about boys. I never had a sister to talk to and no matter how many times I dressed you up in my clothes when you were little you were never very good at girl talk."

Enjolras turned bright red as Éponine burst out laughing. "We agreed we would never talk about that," he stammered.

"You didn't seem to mind when you were little. All I had to do was ask if you wanted to play dress-up and you would get all excited." At this point Enjolras had to reach out and steady Éponine when she almost fell over in her laughter.

"I was four," Enjolras said huffily. "I would have done whatever you told me to."

"Do you have pictures?" Éponine sputtered when she managed to stop laughing for a moment.

"No, she does not," Enjolras said looking down at her. Celeste winked at Éponine when Enjolras wasn't looking.

"Did you come all the way here on Christmas Eve just to regale Éponine with embarrassing moments from my childhood?" Enjolras said in an exasperated voice.

Celeste looked somber suddenly. Éponine had stopped laughing. "Actually, we're staying with the in-laws in the city tonight, and I knew I had to come see you. I can't stay long, it is Christmas Eve and they'll be expecting me back soon." She looked nervous but determined.

"I miss you. We used to be so close, but I hardly know you anymore. We drifted apart after mom died, and that was my fault. I was there for your entire childhood, and then I just disappeared for your whole adolescence and young adulthood. I could spend hours telling Éponine stories about when you were little but I couldn't tell her one story in which you are over the age of twelve. I'm sorry that I left you there with him. I was so selfish. It was just so hard to be in that house, and when I was at college I felt so far away and so free. But I've always regretted that I left you to fend for yourself. I think you've obviously turned out alright, but I wish I had been there to make it easier. I should have been there," Celeste said sadly, tears in her eyes.

Enjolras was looking at her intently. "It's alright, you didn't have to give up your life at college for me. Being here now, away from home, I can see why you didn't come back," he said reassuringly, although his eyes looked a little hurt.

Celeste shook her head "But it's different. Because you weren't leaving anyone behind. You weren't leaving behind a little boy who had just lost his mother. I practically raised you after mom got sick. I would wake you up in the morning and lay out your clothes for you and read with you and play with you. I would let you crawl into my bed when you had nightmares and I would take care of you when you were sick. I even went to one of your parent-teacher conferences when Dad couldn't make it. I took that year off after mom got really sick and I stayed with you. But only a few months later I left without even looking back, and I have always felt so guilty that I have barely been able to look at you since then. Don't pretend you weren't angry with me for leaving you there with him. I know you were," Celeste said dejectedly. She wiped away a few of the tears that had fallen from her eyes.

Enjolras looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think I was angry for a little while. But you were young, and it wasn't your job to take care of me, as much as I wanted you to," he said softly.

Celeste put her hand on his shoulder. She smiled sadly. "But it was my job to be your sister, and I failed at that as well. But not anymore. I want to get to know you again Sebastian. I want to actually see you occasionally and talk to you on the phone. I want to be an aunt. I want our children to play together. Maybe we can't be as close as we used to be, but we can try," she said hopefully.

Enjolras gave her a half-smile and nodded. "I'd like that."

Celeste smiled widely and pulled him in for a tight hug. This time he hugged her back more willingly.

Éponine watched them a little sadly. She couldn't help but feel a stab of pain in her gut as she watched their entire interaction. They reminded her so much of her and Gavroche that it hurt. She hoped that he didn't resent her. That she hadn't created a wedge between them that would take ten years to overcome.

Celeste pulled away from Enjolras' arms and wiped her eyes. "I should get going, the babies are probably going to wake up at six tomorrow. But I'm going to be in the city again in about a month, I'm going to stop by again then. I need to see how my niece or nephew is doing." She looked at Éponine's stomach thoughtfully. "Do you mind if I..." she started hesitantly, lifting her hand slightly.

Celeste's words startled Éponine, as she was still deep in thought about her brother. It took her a second to realize the question was aimed at her. "No, go ahead," she answered quickly.

Celeste placed her hand on Éponine's stomach and smiled. "How far along are you?" she asked softly.

"About 20 weeks or so," Éponine answered. Celeste pulled her hand back and smiled. "Well, you're definitely pregnant," she said with a big smile. "But you're a lot smaller than I was at this stage. Probably because you aren't having triplets. Have you felt the baby move yet?"

"I actually felt it earlier. At least I think it did," Éponine said a little shyly.

"Was it sort of like a flutter?" Celeste asked. Éponine nodded. "That's what it felt like for me too," Celeste told her.

Éponine smiled widely. "I guess I did feel it then. It's really nice to talk to someone who has been through this before."

"Well, please feel free to call me whenever you want, that is if my brother still has my number." Celeste raised her eyebrows at Enjolras. He nodded.

"I really do have to go now," she said sadly. Éponine was surprised when she pulled her into a tight hug. "I'll try to find those pictures for you," she whispered in Éponine's ear. Éponine giggled and Enjolras looked suspicious. Celeste pulled him in for a hug as well. When she pulled away she started inspecting his eye again.

"Celeste, you don't have to worry, it's fine," Enjolras said in exasperation, trying to pull her hands away from his face.

"No, it's not fine," Celeste said quietly. She had a dark look in her eyes. "I think it's about time I cut ties with the old man."

"Celeste, you don't have to do that for my sake..." Enjolras said softly, looking down.

Celeste pushed back some of his hair and he looked up. "He hit my little brother, that's an unforgivable offense." She gave him a small smile and he returned it.

She moved to leave before turning around in the doorway. "By the way Éponine, that necklace looks wonderful on you. I'm glad that someone is wearing it again," she said with a sad smile. Éponine looked was surprised but smiled back. Celeste turned to her brother, "And I'm glad that you found someone you loved enough to give it to." Enjolras gave his sister a small smile, and Éponine felt his grip on her side tighten a little.

"I expect a phone call from you soon, Sebastian. You too Éponine. And I want regular updates about the baby." They both nodded. "Okay, I'm going to actually leave now. You guys can get back to making out, or whatever you were doing on the couch."

Enjolras looked mortified, "We weren't... I mean, how did you...?" he stammered.

"I may be a little older than you, but I remember what it was like to be young and in love. And your belt buckle is undone. Merry Christmas!" She gave them one last smile as she walked out the door and closed it behind her.

Enjolras was still looking down at his belt, which was indeed undone, when Éponine snaked an arm around his waist. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "So that was your sister?" Enjolras nodded.

"Well it's a tough call, but I have to say that I think I like her a little more than your father," she said seriously.

Enjolras smiled. "Yeah, she is pretty great isn't she? I had forgotten how much I liked spending time with her, after all this time." He paused for a moment, looking deep in thought. "I know this baby will have countless people that love it, with the Amis and Musichetta and Cosette, but I'm glad that it now has at least one blood relative, or four if you count my nieces and nephews. And maybe your brothers and sisters as well," he added, glancing at Éponine.

Éponine smiled sadly, "Yeah, maybe." She was hopeful, but she couldn't be sure that she would ever get back the relationship she had had with her siblings. But maybe if Enjolras and his sister could reconcile after ten years, she and her siblings could reunite after four.

She felt Enjolras' eyes on her as he took her hand, intertwining their fingers. "You'll see them again. It will all work out in the end," he said softly, understanding what she was thinking.

Éponine smiled at him uncertainly. Enjolras squeezed her hand. "Hey, don't lose hope. Things tend to happen when you least expect them. For instance, a few months ago could you ever have imagined that you would be celebrating Christmas with me, pregnant, in an apartment lavishly decorated with the finest tiny plastic tree money can buy?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"No, I can honestly say that I wasn't expecting any of this to happen," Éponine said with a smile. She ran her fingers over her new necklace lightly. "But I'm glad that it did." She leaned further into his shoulder. "And I like the tiny tree, it has character."

Enjolras chuckled lightly as he looked around the room, at their fairly pathetic attempt to decorate the apartment. "We really have no idea what we're doing do we?" he mused.

"No," Éponine said simply. She kissed him on the cheek affectionately. "But we'll figure it out."


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: So I have good news and bad news, the good news is I'm done with the semester and here's another chapter! The bad news is that I'm going on vacation until early June and I'm not going to have access to my computer. My initial plan was to get in a few chapters before I left, but everything just kind of caught up with me at the end of the semester. So I will not be updating for at least two and a half weeks. Sorry about all of the delays, but once I get back I will have a lot of free time to write. Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! I'll see you in June.**

* * *

Chapter 25

"... And with the criminals and the police working together, it perpetuates the cycle. The poor have no choice but to become criminals or dirty police officers themselves. There's barely any opportunity for upward mobility and the crime rate steadily increases no matter how many police officers are hired. Most of the police force is made up of good, hard-working people, but it is almost impossible for them to make a difference when the criminals have an inside line to what is going on..."

Éponine sighed as she watched Enjolras give his impassioned speech. The other Amis looked transfixed, but she found she couldn't concentrate on his words when she was so busy worrying about him. She had hoped that his obsession with the corrupt justice system would die down after a few days. She should have known better than to think that Enjolras would ever let go of a cause this important. She just had a bad feeling in her gut. She knew if he pursued this it would not end well.

"... And that's why we need to do something, we need to make everyone aware of what is going on behind closed doors, so they can't ignore it anymore. We need to take back our city!" Enjolras finished his speech with a flourish. The Amis were as enraptured as ever. Éponine felt her heart fill with trepidation. There was suddenly a scurry of activity as the Amis began to move around her, following their leaders orders. She saw a few maps on the table and her stomach dropped.

She almost jumped when she felt a hand on her waist. She looked up to see Enjolras smiling down at her.

"Hey," he said leaning down and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "What did you think of my speech?"

She mustered up a smile that didn't fully reach her eyes. "It was amazing, as always."

Enjolras didn't look convinced. His eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

Éponine bit her lip. It had became clear to her a few days ago that Enjolras was not going to drop this. He had had the Amis working on this for two weeks straight, and although it had started out with just speeches and a few flyers it was getting more serious. She knew it was time to have a talk, but this wasn't the place.

"Nothing," she reassured him. "I have to get back to work. My break ended like ten minutes ago." She gave him a small smile. Enjolras looked skeptical, but he didn't say anything as she turned around and walked back to the counter.

Éponine spent the rest of the night watching Enjolras gesture and order the Amis around. She was so distracted that she screwed up quite a few customer's orders. They had been very polite about it though, and she hadn't received the verbal lashing unsatisfied customers tended to give out when they received the wrong drink. She had noticed all of their eyes lingering on the ever-growing bulge in her stomach and suspected this had something to do with their kindness. Sometimes it paid to be pregnant.

At 9:30, after she spilled an iced tea all over a poor woman, Musichetta finally took pity on her.

"Éponine, you seem a little... off today. Maybe you should just go home and take a nap? Or sort out whatever is wrong with you and Enjolras? I can cover for you," Musichetta said kindly.

"Who says there is anything wrong with me and Enjolras?" Éponine said a little more harshly than she intended.

Musichetta raised her eyebrow at her. "Éponine, you've been staring at him all night with this weird look on your face. If I didn't know you were already hitting that I would think you were pining over him. Now go, don't even pretend like you aren't dying to talk to him about something."

Éponine's pride ordered her to scoff at Musichetta and keep working, but she knew her friend was right. Every second that she didn't talk to Enjolras was another second of planning for his police corruption cause. So she swallowed her pride as she hung up her apron and put on her coat. Musichetta smirked but didn't say anything as Éponine walked across the room, approaching the Amis slowly.

Courfeyrac was the first to notice her. "Make way!" he yelled loudly. "Baby coming through." He jumped up and shooed away a few customers innocently walking in front of her.

Éponine gave him one of her best glares and his smile faltered. Over the past two weeks her stomach had grown exponentially, a fact that the Amis had seemed to notice. She couldn't walk near them now without one of them making some sort of comment. Right now she didn't mind so much, as she found it mildly amusing. But she didn't want to encourage them either. She wasn't sure if she would still find their comments so funny in a few months when her hormones really kicked in.

Enjolras stood up quickly and made his way over to her.

"Hey, what's going on? I thought you were supposed to close tonight?" he whispered a little worriedly.

"I'm just a little tired," Éponine said softly. It wasn't technically a lie, she did feel exhausted today. "And I've been messing up drinks all night so Musichetta ordered me to leave."

"Yeah, I did see you spill that tea a few minutes ago. I know that is how we met and all, but throwing your drink on someone is not really the best way to make friends," Enjolras said with a smirk. Éponine wacked him in the arm, which only caused his smile to widen.

"Do you think we could leave early?" Éponine asked hesitantly.

Enjolras only looked conflicted for a second. He turned towards the Amis "I think Éponine and I are going to head out. Will you all be okay on your own?"

"I don't know Enjolras. I mean how will I ever fold this paper without you?" Marius muttered. He was annoyed that he had been giving the menial task of folding pamphlets after Enjolras realized he had been texting Cosette instead of researching police officer backgrounds.

"You're right," Enjolras said seriously. "Combeferre can you supervise him for me?"

Marius glared at him as some of the Amis chuckled. "Can I at least have my phone back now?" he asked in an exasperated voice.

Enjolras rolled his eyes and threw the phone at him. Marius face brightened as he started typing away, already in a considerably better mood. Enjolras rolled his eyes as he took Éponine's hand and they walked towards the door.

They walked back to the apartment, making small talk here and there. Éponine was suspiciously quiet the whole time, and Enjolras seemed to notice.

"So what's wrong?" he asked as they walked in the door of the apartment.

"Why would you think something's wrong?" Éponine said unconvincingly.

Enjolras raised his eyebrow. "I've known you for a while now Éponine, and I would say we've grown fairly close." He gestured towards her stomach. "You've seemed distracted all day, and I've never seen you mess up that many orders. So what's going on?"

Éponine shifted from one foot to the other. She made her way over to the couch and sat down. Enjolras followed her lead.

Éponine didn't really know how to start this conversation, so she just came out and said it. "I don't think this new crusade against police corruption is a good idea," she blurted out.

Enjolras looked surprised. "What do you mean?" he asked, perplexed.

"I think this is dangerous Enjolras. You're walking a fine line messing with this. It's an important issue, but I don't think you fully understand what you are getting into," Éponine said softly.

Enjolras smiled. "Is this what you've been so worried about? I know what I'm doing Éponine," Enjolras said confidently, putting his hand on her arm reassuringly.

"No you don't," Éponine said a little more forcefully. Enjolras looked taken aback at her tone. She knew she should be more gentle about this, but she _needed_ him to listen to her. "I know firsthand what it is like to be around those people Enjolras. These policeman, these criminals, they mean business. They run a lot more in this city than you are even aware of. They don't like it when people try to mess with their system."

"Éponine you're overreacting, we haven't even done anything yet," Enjolras said with a scoff.

"But you are going to, aren't you? I didn't say anything for the past two weeks because I was hoping you would move on to something else. But I saw the maps on the table today. This isn't just going to be flyers and pamphlets on the street anymore is it? You're planning something."

Enjolras was silent for a moment. "I was thinking about possibly staging a protest," he said quietly. He looked into her eyes to gauge her response.

Éponine took a deep breath. "That isn't a good idea Enjolras."

Enjolras sighed. "This is important," he said resolutely. "This is our city we are talking about, it's the safety of everyone in it. I can't just ignore this and pretend it isn't happening."

"I'm not asking you to," Éponine said softly. "But the way you are going about it is only going to get you and the rest of the Amis hurt or arrested, maybe even killed. This isn't something that is going to be solved overnight, or by one group of people. You can keep helping this cause quietly, and once you are a lawyer I know you will be able to make a big impact. But that is only if you are around to do it. I know that you have felt lost since your trust fund was taken away."

Enjolras' head turned towards her at her comment, he looked a little hurt that she had brought up what happened with his father.

Éponine held his gaze and took his hand as he spoke her next words very carefully. "I know that you feel like you need to do something important. But there are other causes that need your help. You are going to do so much good in this world Sebastian. You are going to make such a difference, and everyone knows it. It's why the Amis listen to you, why they would follow you into battle if you asked. But _this_ isn't your battle."

Enjolras was looking down at their hands very intently. She knew he was thinking about her words.

Éponine took a deep breath. "Enjolras, I need you to listen to me. There is no way this can end well. If you actually start to move the people or make any sort of nuisance for them they will make sure that you stay quiet. Do you know how many times I heard my father send Claquesous out to 'silence someone'?

Enjolras looked up at her words. "And that's exactly why we need to do something about it. I'm not afraid of them Éponine. This cause is important. No one should have to go through what you went through," he insisted, his eyes flaming with passion.

"You're right Enjolras, this cause is important and someone does need to do something, but the Amis are not the ones to do it," Éponine said clearly. "This cause needs a martyr, someone willing to sacrifice themselves for what is right. And I know you would be that person in a heartbeat. And that's why I love you. But you can't be that person Sebastian, because its not just your life you would be sacrificing anymore. Our lives, they're connected. You said we were in this together, and I can't raise this baby alone. Maybe that makes me selfish, but I don't care. Because I don't want to lose you. I can't lose you."

Éponine was embarrassed to feel tears pricking at the back of her eyes. She knew Enjolras thought she was overreacting. But he hadn't seen the things she had seen. He didn't understand the magnitude of his actions. He had never lived in the constant fear of something bad happening, of getting a call that someone she loved had been hurt. She couldn't do that again, she wouldn't.

Enjolras was silent for a long moment. He was looking at their interconnected hands. He moved his gaze to her after a few moments and his eyes were set. Éponine knew he had made a decision. "If this is that important to you, I'll let it go," he said quietly.

Éponine released the breath she had been holding. "Thank you," she said softly. She kissed him on the cheek lightly. He smiled slightly at her before turning back towards the wall. She knew he had just made a huge sacrifice for her and he probably needed some time to process it.

"I think I'm going to turn in for the night. Are you going to come to bed or...?"

"I think I'm gonna stay up for a while," Enjolras answered quietly. He was still staring at the wall.

"Okay," Éponine said softly. She had a nervous pit in her stomach. She felt like she had just changed something between them. The air felt more tense somehow. But Enjolras was safe and that was all that mattered.

Still, she had a hard time falling asleep that night, and she didn't even see Enjolras coming to bed.

When she woke up Enjolras' arm was around her and he acted normally, smiling and joking. But she couldn't help feel like everything wasn't completely normal, like there was a distance between them.

When they parted ways for class he kissed her goodbye like always, but he barely even looked her in the eyes before he left. Éponine watched his retreating back and wondered if she had asked too much, if he resented her.

The Amis didn't really notice that any plans had changed at the meeting that night, as they were not aware of any in the first place. But Combeferre noticed Enjolras' strange behavior, as subtle as it was. He was immensely confused when Enjolras announced that he had to leave to 'finish a paper'. Enjolras was the type to finish his schoolwork a week before it was due. And he had already left the meeting early last night with Éponine. For him to leave early two nights in a row was almost unheard of. The rest of the Amis seemed a little confused as well, some of them looking towards Combeferre as if he had the answer to their leaders strange behavior. He watched as his friend said a few words to Éponine before kissing her on the cheek. She looked distressed and uneasy as he walked away. Combeferre knew it was once again time for him to sort out his best friend's life. He followed Enjolras out the door.

"Okay, what is going on?" he asked abruptly.

Enjolras looked surprised that Combeferre had followed him. "Nothing," he said pointedly as he walked briskly away from the café. Combeferre scoffed as he hurried to catch up with him.

"You have always been a horrible liar, my friend. You're too honest for your own good. This is the second meeting you've left early this week. You said you needed to work on a paper but I've never seen you leave schoolwork to the last minute, and if you did I'm sure you would be much more anxious than you are right now. Besides, Éponine looked worried about something, and you've seemed distant all day. So I repeat, what's going on?"

Enjolras stopped walking and sighed. He ran his hand through his hair as Combeferre waited patiently. Finally, he resignedly told him about his and Éponine's conversation the night before, and his decision to tone down his cause on police corruption.

"So, you are mad because of what Éponine asked you to do?" Combeferre asked hesitantly.

"No," said Enjolras quickly. "Did I seem mad at her?"

"Not particularly, you've just been a little cold today and I think she has noticed."

Enjolras felt guilty. He had been feeling a little off today but he didn't want Éponine to blame herself. "I'm not mad, I'm just frustrated about everything. It's just hard to know that there is something wrong that I am not doing anything to fix."

Combeferre put a hand on his friends shoulder. "You have done done a lot more than you realize Enjolras. And you may not want to hear this, but I think Éponine is right. We may feel like we can do anything sometimes but we are still just college students, and I think this particular issue goes above our heads. Éponine knows more than we do when it comes to this sort of thing, and if she thinks it is too dangerous then I believe her."

Enjolras nodded. He started walking again. "That is why I agreed to drop it. And because she was getting very upset."

Combeferre scoffed again. "Enjolras, you do have a bit of a hero complex. You would do anything to help your fellow man even, maybe especially, at the sake of your own welfare. But you do have to think about Éponine and the baby now. I know you never think much about your own wellbeing, but maybe you should start. If something should happen to you, Éponine would be left all alone. Well, that's not true. She would have all of the Amis and an especially kick-ass godfather, but I think she might prefer that you were there with her as well."

"I know," Enjolras responded quietly. Combeferre noticed he looked a little guilty, and that's when he noticed something else as well.

"Enjolras, where are we going? This isn't the way to your apartment."

Enjolras bit his lip as more guilt surged through him. "I'm not going back to the apartment right now, I don't really have a paper to finish," he said quietly.

Combeferre snorted. "Well that much I surmised. Then what exactly are you doing that you felt the need to lie about?"

Enjolras ran his hand through his hair again. "There's a protest being staged a few blocks away. I've only heard rumblings of it, but I know it has something to do with police corruption."

Combeferre frowned. "So, the night after Éponine pleads with you to stop your crusade against police corruption because she feels it is too dangerous, you go to a protest about police corruption," Combeferre stated incredulously.

Enjolras winced at his tone. "I know this is bad alright, but I was already planning on going before last night. I just want to see what other people have to say. I will go to this one protest and then I will move on."

"And you lied to Éponine about this?"

"I knew if I told Éponine she would try to talk me out of it, and I would probably listen to her. I'll tell her tonight, and yes she'll be mad at me, but it will only be for a little while," Enjolras said more confidently than he felt.

"Enjolras, do you remember what it's like to be on the receiving end of one of Éponine's grudges? Have you forgotten the incident in sophomore year when you gave her the wrong address for that protest on immigration policy and she almost got mauled by a Rottweiler? It took you practically a month of begging to get her to speak to you again. And that was an _accident_."

Enjolras winced at the memory.

"Don't you think this might be a tad bit worse?" Combeferre continued. "Especially since she is now your girlfriend and she is pregnant and you just lied straight to her face?"

Enjolras looked speechless. "I just need to do this alright?" he said indignantly. "I don't have the money to build something important and I can't solve the corruption problem because it is too dangerous but I can go to this fucking protest," Enjolras snapped.

Combeferre was taken aback. He hadn't seen Enjolras this riled up since his encounter with his father.

"I'm sorry," Enjolras said as he rubbed his hand over his face. "I just feel so useless lately. I feel like I let everyone down by losing that money and now I have to make up for it. I know that Éponine is right and that this cause is too dangerous. And I know that I'm not really solving anything by going to this protest. But I just need to feel like I'm doing something." He looked at Combeferre pleadingly, as if willing him to understand.

Combeferre sighed. He realized that if going to this protest made Enjolras feel useful, then maybe it would be best to just let him go. Even if Éponine was going to kill them both. "Okay, let's go to this fucking protest then."

Enjolras smiled. "You don't have to come with me."

"Well somebody needs to make sure you don't get yourself killed or make anymore stupid decisions. Besides, Éponine is already going to be pissed at me, but if I let you go to this alone I don't even know what she'll do."

Enjolras chuckled, "Are you afraid of my girlfriend?"

"Aren't you?" Combeferre asked, giving Enjolras a look.

Enjolras' smile faded slightly. "A little," he admitted.

Combeferre laughed lightly. They walked in silence for a few minutes. Combeferre started to hear the rumble of a crowd and knew they must be nearing the protest.

"Who is staging this protest?" he asked Enjolras.

Enjolras looked sheepish. "Um, just a new activist group."

Combeferre narrowed his eyes at his friend. He faintly recalled part of a speech Enjolras had given a few weeks ago.

"Would that happen to be that new organization that you mentioned a few weeks ago? The one whose views and methods you called 'radical' and 'over the top'?" Combeferre asked disapprovingly.

"Yes, I believe it's the same one," Enjolras said quietly, carefully avoiding his friends gaze.

"Okay, it's official. Whenever you make a decision you must run it through me before you go through with it. I recall you mentioning that this group has had four protests in the last few months, and _three_ of them turned into riots. Do you think those are good odds? This is reckless, even for you," Combeferre said anxiously, a bit of anger tinging his voice.

"I'm just going to see what they have to say, and then we can leave. We'll only be here for a few minutes," Enjolras explained as they neared the edge of the growing crowd.

Combeferre groaned. "You've got five minutes, and then we are leaving," he said shortly. He looked at his surroundings and noted the makeshift stage where the members of the activist group were yelling rather violently. He watched the expressions on the bystanders faces, the passion with which the protestors were yelling. Most of the crowd was hanging on every word and looked like they were ready to pounce. Combeferre knew this wouldn't end well. He started to focus in on the words of the men yelling on the stage and his eyes widened, a deep frown forming on his face. Combeferre noticed the anxious expression on Enjolras' face and realized he had come to the same realization as him.

"Enjolras, I don't think they are protesting the corruption in the police force. I think they are just protesting the police in general," Combeferre stated with wide eyes. "I don't think we should be here."

Enjolras looked around him, at the angry faces of the crowd and the way they were soaking up the furious words of the protestors, many nodding their heads and shouting in agreement. He turned and realized that the crowd had grown behind them and they were now sealed into the mob of people.

"You're right, this is getting out of hand. We should get out of here," Enjolras said seriously, catching Combeferre's worried gaze. He grabbed his friends arm as they turned around, trying to navigate through the seemingly neverending crowd. That's when they heard the sirens.

Instead of scattering the crowd rushed forward in their anger, fueled by the hateful words of the protestors. Within a few seconds Enjolras lost hold of Combeferre's arm. He caught his friends frightened eyes one last time before he was sucked into the crowd.

The shouting was deafening, he could barely hear the voice of the police officer yelling through the megaphone for everyone to stay calm and for the protestors to stay where they were. He was being jostled at all sides by the angry crowd. He couldn't even tell which direction he should go in to escape. Fights were breaking out and he could hear storefront windows smashing. Some of those around him looked scared, some angry, some murderous. For the first time in a while, he felt a prickle of fear make its way up his spine. It dawned on him how dangerous this situation was, of the real possibility of this riot becoming deadly. He thought of Éponine, of the baby, and her words the night before. _I don't want to lose you. I can't lose you. _

He heard screaming as the grenades of tear gas whizzed through the air and into the crowd. He only saw the fog for a moment before the pain hit, tears streaming from his eyes and his lungs burning.

Enjolras managed to open his eyes a sliver. And as he watched the destruction occurring around him through his haze of pain and tears, the people rushing in an angry wave, pushing and yelling and fighting and smashing, one thought kept running through his mind.

_If I get out of this alive, Éponine is going to kill me._


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: I'm back! Sorry about the wait, and the horrible cliffhanger I left you with. When I said early June I didn't really take into account how long it would take me to actually write the chapter once I got back. The reason this took so long is because this chapter was originally part of a longer chapter, but I decided to split them up. The good news is this means I have most of the next chapter written, so it should be up within the next few days. Thanks for all the reviews, follows, favorites. It's nice to know that people are still reading my story even when it takes me forever to update. **

* * *

Chapter 26

Éponine sighed as she made a cappuccino, her hands working on autopilot while her mind raced. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. Maybe it was Enjolras' cold goodbye when he kissed her cheek earlier, his eyes not meeting hers as he mentioned "work" he had to finish before quickly turning away. She knew that something was going on, that he wasn't being particularly truthful, but she had let it go. She knew he just needed some time, and she gave it to him. Now she was wondering if she had made the wrong choice. She reassured herself that Combeferre had followed him out, and he would stop Enjolras from doing anything stupid. But a nagging voice in the back of her mind reminded her that when he really wanted something, nothing and no one could stop the fearless revolutionary from going after it, even his logical best friend.

So when she heard the police cars and the ambulances rushing by, she didn't feel a mild curiosity about what had occurred, she felt dread. She had the same tingling in the back of her neck that she used to get before her father would come home in the early hours of the morning with his gang, blood on his hands and clothes. She didn't allow herself to truly panic until she overheard two customers talking about the riot that had taken place just a few blocks away. Her stomach dropped as she heard that many people were injured, even more arrested.

It suddenly all made sense– his coldness, his lame excuse about "work" he had to complete, his inability to look her in the eyes as he lied. She knew, with complete certainty, that Enjolras' evasiveness occurring on the same day as this riot was not a coincidence. A million emotions rushed at her all at once. For a moment the predominant one was anger, but this was quickly overcome by worry. She would make sure he was okay first, and not in need of bail, and then she would be free to explode at him. Her emotions must have shown on her face, because Musichetta didn't even question it when Éponine hurried away from the counter in the middle of making a macchiato. She walked until she stood in front of the Amis.

"Have you heard about this riot Éponine?" Courfeyrac asked with a smile when he saw her. "For once it's not us causing all the trouble."

"Are you sure about that?" she asked harshly.

Courfeyrac's perplexed expression and the matching confusion on the faces of the Amis convinced her that her boyfriend had not been truthful with them either.

"What do you mean?" Grantaire cut in uncertainly.

"You don't think Enjolras had anything to do with this?" Feuilly asked, catching on to what she was implying.

"When has he ever chosen work over an Amis meeting? And when has he ever left his work to the last minute, especially without freaking out about it for a week beforehand?" Éponine asked. She could hear her voice trembling slightly.

"But Combeferre went with him right? He wouldn't have let him go to that riot," Jean Prouvaire said reassuringly.

Éponine tried to find a way to describe the feeling she had in her gut when her pocket began to vibrate. She fished out her phone with fumbling fingers and saw an unknown number flash across the screen. She pushed the button and put the phone up to her ear warily.

"Hello?"

"Éponine? It's Combeferre," a slightly shaky voice responded.

Éponine felt her stomach twist into a knot. The Amis looked worried at the look on her face.

"I don't really know how to explain this," Combeferre continued. "But earlier when Enjolras and I left..."

"You went to the riot?" Éponine interrupted him, her voice strained in a combination of anger and anxiety.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment. "Yes," Combeferre replied, his voice a mixture of surprise and trepidation.

"And where are you now?" she asked, fairly sure the answer was either jail or the hospital. She wasn't sure which one she would prefer.

"We're at the hospital," Combeferre said quietly.

Éponine sucked in a breath. She decided she would have rather the answer was jail.

"Is he alright?" she said softly.

"I'm... I'm not really sure," Combeferre said hoarsely. "Most of his injuries aren't very serious, but he hit his head and he hasn't woken up yet. I don't think we'll really know anything else until he does."

Éponine could feel the panic well up inside of her, like a balloon about to burst. She couldn't stop the images from flashing through her mind, _Enjolras bleeding on the ground, Enjolras hooked up to a ventilator– pale and unresponsive, her sitting in their apartment alone– his side of the bed empty and cold beside her_. Part of her wanted to curl into a ball and sob. But she knew she wasn't that person, or rather she had never had the privilege of being that person. There was always someone relying on her, someone she couldn't let down. It used to be her siblings, and now it was this baby, and apparently Enjolras. So she reeled in her panic and her conflicting feelings of anger and worry and forced herself into crisis mode.

She pulled her concentration away from her thoughts and realized that in her silence Combeferre had started nervously babbling. "...and I'm so sorry. I dropped my phone somewhere at the protest so I couldn't call you till I got to the hospital and luckily there was a payphone but it ate my money and then I had to ask a stranger for change and..."

"Combeferre," Éponine cut in. "What hospital are you at?"

"Saint-Louis Memorial," he replied quickly.

"We'll be there soon," Éponine said quickly, hanging up the phone without another word.

When she looked up the Amis were staring at her, their expressions varying between worry, confusion and anger.

Courfeyrac, who was closest to her, seemed to have heard the entire conversation. "I'll drive," he offered.

By the time they had reached the hospital, most of the Amis were worried about Éponine and her reaction to what had happened, or rather her lack of reaction. At some point in her conversation with Combeferre her face had morphed into a blank, emotionless expression and stayed that way the entire way to the hospital. She had only broken her endless stare out of the window to explain to them the events of the last few weeks, how Enjolras had gotten more and more involved in his cause and she had asked him to stop.

"Éponine, are you okay?" Jean Prouvaire asked softly as they walked down the hallway towards where the nurse had said Enjolras was being treated. Éponine turned and looked at him a raised eyebrow as if to say, _are you actually asking me that right now?_ It wasn't much, but it was a reaction, and her friends were pleased that she was showing a little bit of personality.

"Éponine!"

They all jumped a little at the voice as Combeferre bounded into their line of vision. He looked a little worse for wear, with various scratches on his face and arms. He was limping slightly and squinting at them as he approached, seemingly having lost his glasses at the riot. Éponine felt a pang of guilt in her chest when she realized she hadn't bothered to ask him if he was alright. She felt her heart unclench a little at the unprecedented smile on his face.

"Enjolras woke up," he said happily.

Éponine felt like she could finally breath again. "Is he alright?" she asked urgently.

"I was only able to talk to him for a minute before the doctor kicked me out, but he seemed like himself. And fairly lucid too, all things considered," Combeferre reassured her. "I think they took him to get a head CT but he should be back soon and then we can probably see him."

The Amis were all smiling and letting out sighs of relief. Éponine let herself smile for a moment, just happy that Enjolras was going to be okay. But now that all of her energy was no longer focused on worrying about Enjolras' wellbeing, the real meaning of the actions that led him to the hospital started to sink in. Enjolras had broken a promise to her, and worse he had lied– straight to her face. She felt her smile slip. She was grateful when a deep voice asked the question she had been wondering the entire ride to the hospital, giving her a brief reprieve from the hurt she felt at Enjolras' actions.

"So what the hell happened?" Bahorel asked in a harsh tone. The Amis all turned to Combeferre expectantly, wondering the same thing.

Combeferre took a deep breath. "Well, as you already know, Enjolras and I went to the protest."

"And why exactly did you let that happen?" Grantaire asked, his voice deadly serious for once.

Combeferre grimaced a little, obviously wondering the same thing himself. "I know I should have stopped him, I wish I did. But he's been kind of lost the last few weeks and he really wanted to go to this protest. He said he wanted to feel like he was being useful, and I thought if we just went for a few minutes and then left he would be satisfied. I didn't realize who had organized the protest until we were already there, and by then it was too late. I'm so sorry, this was all my fault," Combeferre said solemnly.

"No it's not," Éponine said sternly. The Amis all turned to her. "You couldn't have stopped Enjolras if you tried. He can be almost as stubborn as me sometimes."

The Amis all nodded in agreement but Combeferre still looked guilty.

"Wait, so who organized the protest?" Marius asked.

"It was that new group, I believe they call themselves the Young Anarchists or something like that?" Combeferre said softly. He was watching Éponine as if gauging her reaction. Her eyebrows practically disappeared into her hairline.

"You mean the group Enjolras mentioned recently? The one he _knew_ was dangerous and radical?" she practically growled.

The Amis shifted uncomfortably; unsure of whether to be mad at their friend for being so careless or pity him for what Éponine was going to do when she got her hands on him.

"So, what happened at the protest?" Bossuet asked quickly, trying to break the tension.

"It turned out the group was protesting the police force in general, not just police corruption. I don't think Enjolras was aware of that by the way," Combeferre added in an undertone for Éponine's benefit. "We decided to leave, but then the police showed up. The crowd started to pull in two directions, half of them were rushing at the police and the other were running away from them. Enjolras and I got separated, and then the police threw tear gas. When I could finally see again it was a few minutes later and the crowd had thinned. I pushed through and found Enjolras on the ground. He must have tripped or something, I didn't see. But he was unconscious and his head was bleeding pretty badly. When the police came to us I told them we were just walking by and got caught in the crosshairs. The paramedics came soon after that. We got pretty lucky, because I saw Officer Javert snooping around. He's arrested Enjolras before and he probably would have thought he caused the riot."

"So basically he was trampled," Éponine interjected, almost matter-of-factly.

Combeferre winced. "I guess... but only a little bit," he replied.

"He was a little bit trampled," Éponine said disbelievingly.

"Yes?" Combeferre answered weakly. "The doctor said he has a few bruised ribs and he broke his wrist, but it could have been a lot worse I think."

Éponine nodded, satisfied for now. "Did you get checked out?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I'm fine," he insisted, not quite meeting her eyes.

"Combeferre, we already have one Amis in the hospital for being too stubborn to listen to reason, we don't need two," Joly interjected reasonably, sounding remarkably like the man he was trying to convince.

"I'll have them look me over once the doctor tells us Enjolras is in the clear," he said stubbornly. Nobody felt like arguing with him. When it came to the welfare of his friends, Combeferre could be just as stubborn as Enjolras.

With their immediate questions answered there was nothing to do but wait, and a silence fell over the group of friends, all lost in their own thoughts. Éponine wondered what she would say once she saw Enjolras. Would she yell? Would she cry? Would she just be happy he was okay? She didn't really know how to react in this situation. The only thing she knew was that he had hurt her.

She turned the day's events over and over in her mind, trying to rationalize Enjolras' actions. She couldn't stop thinking about one little detail of Combeferre's story. That Enjolras had not been aware of what the protest had truly been about. Combeferre had said it to make her feel better, but it had the opposite effect. She had told Enjolras that she couldn't lose him. And yet he went to this dangerous protest completely, _recklessly_, unprepared. Could he really care about her, _love_ her, like he claimed to if he had such blatant disregard for her feelings? If he just threw around his life like it was nothing? Even after she had made it very clear that their lives were intertwined, that his actions directly affected her? His betrayal felt like a slap in the face, and she wasn't sure when it would stop stinging.

For the first time in a while she felt _weak_. What had she been thinking, making her own happiness so dependent on another person? She thought back to the way she used to be. She had been a _Thenardier_. Nobody broke her heart, because no one could touch it to begin with. It had been a lonely way to live, but it had never hurt as much as this did. She recalled her words from a few weeks ago, when she told Enjolras she trusted him with her heart, that he wouldn't break it. Right now it felt like he had let it slip through his fingers without a second thought. Her father had once told her that the one thing you can count on is that people will always let you down. Maybe her father was a little wiser than she gave him credit for.

By the time the doctor came she could already feel herself slipping back into old habits. Retreating into her shell where the outside world couldn't touch her. She felt a distant sense of happiness when she was told Enjolras would be alright, that his concussion was mild and she could see him now. But then the numbness returned, so familiar it was almost comforting. She barely felt anything at all.

And it was so much easier this way.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Once again, I'm sorry for the wait. I thought this chapter would be done sooner, but then i got a little carried away and it somehow became over 9,000 words. I can't really say when the next update will be, the next chapter is entirely in my head so it's a matter of actually writing it down, but hopefully I won't keep you waiting too long. Until then enjoy the longest chapter yet. Thank you once again for all the reviews, follows, and favorites!**

* * *

Chapter 27

It only took Enjolras a few moments after waking up to comprehend just how royally he had fucked up this time. In the span of only a few hours he had lied not just to his only friends, but also the woman he loved, the _pregnant_ woman he loved. And then he had managed to get not only himself, but also his best friend hurt for a cause he didn't even believe in. His friends were always telling him he should be more spontaneous, but he didn't think going to a protest with no idea of what was actually being protested was what they had in mind.

God, he was such an idiot. What was the point of all his meticulous planning, all his stupid pros and cons lists if he didn't use them when it mattered? He didn't even know what he had been trying to accomplish, some feeling that he had made a difference? That he was helping people? Well how did _this_ help anyone? Now he was just stuck lying idly in a hospital bed with the steady throbbing of pain in his head and ribs a constant reminder of the consequences of his actions.

In truth he didn't really mind the pain. He felt like he deserved it a little. Or a lot. He knew what he was feeling was nothing compared to what he must have put Éponine through today. And that was what really hurt, knowing he had betrayed her trust, something she didn't give out easily, or to just anyone.

When Combeferre told him Éponine was on her way he meant it to be comforting, but instead the thought filled Enjolras with dread. He just didn't know how she would react to this situation. She had been the one who had been afraid to enter into their relationship in the first place, what if in light of recent events she just decided it was too much and left? He couldn't really blame her if that's what she decided to do. But over the past few weeks he had gotten so accustomed to waking up to her warm body pressed against his, to her feeling comfortable enough to share her innermost thoughts, to their heated arguments that never really contained any malice, to the way their bodies always seemed to find their way towards each other– hands brushing together, fingers tangled in hair, arms around waists. All of these intimate moments that he never knew he wanted with another person. And now he _needed_ them.

After his mom died he had learned to be by himself. He had decided that connections with other people were overrated. That life was only about gaining knowledge and doing what was right. When he met the Amis they challenged his view, but it was Éponine that shattered it. He had never wanted someone to love, a family. But now it was all he wanted, all he could think about. A little girl with Éponine's big brown eyes, a little boy with her smile. A family of his own, that he loved unconditionally, that loved him unconditionally. But right now it seemed like a dream he had trampled over on his way to the riot.

In a way he was glad when they took him for a CT scan before his friends had the chance to get there. He knew he was only delaying the inevitable, yet for a few minutes he could pretend that maybe Éponine would just let this one go. But in the back of his mind he knew that Éponine wouldn't just drop this, and she wouldn't be the woman he loved if she did.

And now that Enjolras was back in his hospital room he knew it was only a matter of time before he would have to face her, and he wasn't ready. He tried to think of how he was going to explain his actions to her, but didn't even know where to start. He still hadn't come up with any viable ideas by the time he began to hear her footsteps coming down the hall– almost silent like the former thief she was, but audible because of the extra weight she hadn't quite figured out how to compensate for yet. He felt like he was waiting for the executioner.

He watched with trepidation as the doorknob turned and her head came into view, her expression unreadable.

Even under the circumstances he felt a rush of warmth when he looked at her. He tried to think of something profound to say, something that would communicate how much he loved her, how sorry he was.

"Hey," he said lamely. He wondered if the concussion had affected the communication areas of his brain.

She cocked her eyebrow slightly. "Hey," she responded.

He watched as her eyes scanned over his various injuries– the cast on his arm, the piece of gauze covering up the stitches along his hairline, and the impressive array of bruises and scratches that covered his body. He instinctually tried to sit up straighter under her scrutiny, and suddenly felt as though someone was driving a screwdriver between his ribs while his head simultaneously pounded so hard that his vision began to swim. He closed his eyes for a moment as he winced. When he opened them again she had sat in the chair beside his bed and was regarding him coolly. He watched as she folded her hands across the bump in her stomach. The movement filled him with guilt.

He opened his mouth again, willing his brain to form full sentences this time. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, meeting her eyes. She continued to stare back at him, her silence willing him to continue. "I shouldn't have gone to the protest, and I especially shouldn't have lied to you, or the rest of the Amis. I don't really know why going was so important to me. I think I was trying to prove something to myself, though in retrospect I'm not really sure what it was."

He paused for a moment, hoping he would see something in her eyes. Anything that indicated how she was feeling. But for the first time in a long time he couldn't tell what she was thinking. Her silence was especially worrying. When Éponine was angry she yelled, _loudly_. Her silent treatments were saved only for the worst offenses and it usually took a great deal of begging and bribery to get back on her good side. He knew how to deal with angry Éponine and he knew how to deal with beyond angry silent Éponine. But right now she looked like she didn't have any emotions at all, and that scared him.

He continued nervously. "I honestly didn't think it would turn into a riot. I mean... I guess in the back of my mind I knew it was a possibility, but I wasn't thinking about the consequences. I didn't really think at all. I should have just listened to you when you told me it was too dangerous. I didn't set out to hurt you, or to get myself hurt. And I know this is horrible timing, with the baby coming in a few months. I want you to know that you can still trust me. I promise I'll never do anything like this again."

He kept eye contact with Éponine the entire time he spoke but her face wasn't giving anything away. She had been so open with him recently that he had forgotten how skilled she was at putting on her poker face. She looked down for a moment and he knew she was going to say something. The pounding in his head seemed more pronounced than usual.

"The doctor said you have a pretty mild concussion," she said calmly. "They want to watch you for a little longer but you can go home if I make sure to check on you every few hours. I figured you'd want to get out of here as quickly as possible.

For a few moments he just blinked at her. _That was all she had to say?_ He realized he had been silent for too long. "Oh... yes, thank you," he responded as sincerely as he could under the circumstances.

"I'm going to go talk to the doctor again to make sure there isn't anything else you'll need before we go back to the apartment. I'll send the Amis in," she said somewhat shortly. She started to stand to turn to the door. He caught her arm without really thinking and she turned to look at him impatiently.

He searched her eyes once again. "I love you. You know that, right?" he said softly.

She just stared at him for a few moments. He saw a tiny flicker in her eyes, an emotion he couldn't identify. "I'm glad you're okay..." she said genuinely. The implication of the rest of her sentence hung in the air, _but I don't forgive you. _

He let go of her arm and watched as she walked out the door, not even sparing a second glance behind her. He tried to swallow but found that his throat suddenly felt constricted.

Enjolras had never really seen Éponine acting this way, but he knew that this was bad, very very bad. In truth he had been hoping she would yell at him. It might make him feel a little better, like he was getting what he deserved. Like she was on her way to forgiving him. This deliberate indifference was so much worse. She was shutting herself off from him. Seeing the real Éponine was a privilege you had to earn, and apparently he no longer made the cut.

She didn't trust him with her feelings anymore. She didn't trust him in general. And that hurt more than a concussion and a couple of bruised ribs ever would.

* * *

Things didn't improve when they got back to the apartment. His concussion prevented him from reading, doing his schoolwork, even watching TV– pretty much anything that would take his mind off of what was going on. This meant he spent most of the day staring at the wall and trying to think up a way to get Éponine to forgive him, but he was drawing a blank. He tried to blame it on the concussion or the painkillers making his brain fuzzy, but deep down he began to wonder if maybe he had just gone too far this time.

As a caregiver, Éponine was wonderful. She checked on him regularly, changed the bandage on his head, checked his bruised ribs, gave him his pain medication, made him soup and even helped him eat when his ribs protested him lifting his arm. But it was rather like having a very dutiful nurse, not a loving girlfriend. Her touches were almost clinical, detached. She avoided talking about the riot, and whenever he brought it up she changed the subject. He realized she would only respond to meaningless questions. Their most stimulating conversation that night was about the weather, and if it would rain over the weekend. It was almost as if she wasn't there at all. The spark that made her Éponine seemed to have flickered out, or at least it was no longer visible to him. He wanted her to get mad, throw something, scream, anything to show that his Éponine was still in there somewhere. That there was a possibility that he would see her again.

He was pleased when she crawled into bed that night without a word. For about a minute he convinced himself that she didn't want to sleep without him by her side. But then he realized that she had been having back pain recently and didn't want to exacerbate it by sleeping on the couch, and with his injuries she wasn't about to kick him out of the bed. So he tried to comfort himself with the fact that she was _there_, she was taking care of him and that had to mean something, right? He wasn't so sure anymore.

Enjolras didn't leave bed for the second day either. This was normally something he would protest, but Éponine had said that it would probably be a good idea and he was all too eager to please her. In fact he was the perfect patient, taking his meds when she asked him to, eating everything she put in front of him, never complaining when she touched a sensitive spot in her examination of his ribs. He was trying to show her that she could trust him again, but he knew that his subservient act wasn't really proving anything.

The one bright point was that it was a weekday, which meant that the Amis took turns looking after him while Éponine was in class and at work.

Combeferre was the first to come. Enjolras could hear him talking to Éponine, their voices muffled through the door. She almost sounded like her old self, happy and slightly sarcastic. He couldn't help the tinge of jealousy he felt when he realized she was acting normally with Combeferre but not him. He supposed he should be just be happy that she hadn't closed herself off to everyone.

When Combeferre finally walked into the bedroom they just stared at each other for a few moments. Enjolras eyed his crutches and felt guilt surge through him. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"They made you come take care of me with a broken ankle?" he said lightly.

Combeferre smiled as he sat in a chair next to the bed, laying his crutches on the ground. "I volunteered, and it's just a sprain. Besides, no one else had class off during this time," he answered logically.

Enjolras scoffed, "I don't need to be looked after for every second of the day. I think I can handle myself for an hour," he mumbled, slightly indignantly.

"After the stunt you pulled some of the Amis aren't so sure about that," Combeferre said in a teasing manner, but there was a little bit of bite behind his statement.

There was silence for a moment and Enjolras wondered if he had messed up his relationship with his best friend as well. Maybe Éponine wasn't the only one he should be apologizing to.

"I'm sorry, Combeferre," he said honestly. "I shouldn't have brought you there, I shouldn't have put you in danger like that."

Combeferre suddenly looked very serious. "I went with you voluntarily. But I have been wondering, why didn't you tell me that there was a possibility the protest could be dangerous?" he asked curiously, leaning forward slightly as he regarded his friend patiently.

Enjolras sighed heavily, an action that his ribs vehemently protested. "I don't know, I guess I didn't want you to stop me from going. I knew if you pointed out how foolish my plan was I would have listened to you. But I didn't even think about your safety. It could have just as easily been you in this bed."

Combeferre looked thoughtful for a moment. "I don't blame you Enjolras. But if you want to hear me to say it, I forgive you."

"Thank you," Enjolras said sincerely. His friend's forgiveness did make him feel a tiny bit better, but they also reminded him just how much he longed to hear those same words from Éponine.

Combeferre noticed the look in his friend's eyes and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Éponine is taking this pretty seriously, huh?"

Enjolras nodded. "I should have listened to you when you told me she would. I knew she wouldn't react well to what happened, but I wasn't prepared for _this_. She barely shows any emotions around me and she won't talk about the riot, or anything important really. It's almost like the last few months never happened and we're back to where we were before Marius' engagement party. Except it's worse because we aren't even acting like friends. She's being almost formal, like we haven't known each other for years," Enjolras sighed, exasperated. Talking about it seemed to make everything more real somehow.

"I don't know what to do. Our relationship has never been this way. The first time we met we were having an argument within five minutes. And I know it's only been a day, but I don't think this is just going to go away. How are we supposed to work through this if she won't communicate with me?" Enjolras looked towards his friend with pleading eyes, as if he would know exactly what to do.

Combeferre looked down as he scratched nervously at the back of his neck. "I don't know Enjolras. I think you really hurt her feelings this time. And you really scared her. You need to get her to trust you again."

Enjolras looked down at his hands, deep in thought. When he looked back up at Combeferre again he looked lost. "How do I do that?" he asked somewhat hopelessly.

Combeferre sighed, wishing he could solve all his friend's problems. "I know it's shocking, but I don't have all the answers. I think this is between you and Éponine. But I've seen the way you two look at each other. I know you'll work it out in the end," he said confidently.

Enjolras wasn't convinced. But he found that after talking to his friend he did feel marginally better.

Once Combeferre left there was an endless parade of Amis throughout the day. In the hospital most of them had seemed angry with Enjolras for lying, but after watching him for a few minutes with Éponine most of them seemed to decide he was being punished enough. In Courfeyrac's words he looked "too pitiful to be angry at, like a puppy being scolded for peeing on the rug." And though Enjolras protested the comparison, he couldn't really argue with the pitiful part.

His friends were all quick to give him advice about Éponine, some better than others. Jean Prouvaire suggested writing her poetry, but Enjolras thought coming from him that could be considered a form of punishment. Marius suggested getting her flowers and chocolate, but Enjolras didn't think Éponine was the type to be swayed by such material things, (although she probably wouldn't object to the chocolate). Courfeyrac's advice involved seducing Éponine, and he went into so much detail that Enjolras was blushing to the tips of his ears before he finally got his friend to stop talking. Bahorel just glared at him for an hour. Joly suggested throwing himself at Éponine's feet and begging for forgiveness. Grantaire simply listened to Enjolras' woes and then sighed and offered him a drink, which Enjolras would have been tempted to take if he wasn't on such strong painkillers. By the time Éponine got back from work Enjolras was just confused.

"How was class?" he asked Éponine cautiously.

"Fine," she answered shortly, barely looking at him as she changed for bed.

"And work?" he added.

"That was fine too."

Enjolras began to wonder if perhaps begging for forgiveness at her feet while he gave her flowers and chocolate might be effective. The mental image made him chuckle a little. He wondered if maybe he should cut back on those painkillers.

"What is it?" Éponine asked after she heard his laughter, looking at him curiously.

Enjolras thought about what would happen if it was like it was before. He would tell her what he was thinking, and she would laugh, maybe calling him a dork before kissing him on the cheek. He might pull her towards him, kissing her playfully. They would get carried away even though they had early classes in the morning. And though they would both be tired the next day, they would be too happy to care. A smile grew on his lips as he thought about it. He felt her eyes on him as he came back to reality, Éponine with an expectant, slightly annoyed expression on her face. Enjolras felt his smile turn down.

"Nothing," he said quickly.

Éponine narrowed her eyes and for a second he thought she was going to inquire further into his thoughts. But instead she just lay down in the bed, quickly shutting off the bedside lamp and then turning away from him. For a while he just stared at her back as her breathing slowly evened out.

He knew that he should try to fall asleep; that it was the only way his injuries were going to heal. And maybe once he was better she would open up again. But he just couldn't sleep when the future was so uncertain, when _their_ future was so uncertain.

The next day she allowed him to get out of bed. This initially excited him, until he actually tried to move. In some sort of misguided attempt to prove to Éponine he was fine he stood up almost immediately after she gave him permission. And he was fine for a few seconds, until his vision began to swim in front of him and his knees buckled. She managed to catch his arm and guide him back to the bed before he fell down.

He sat for a few minutes as he willed his nausea to disappear and his ribs to stop screaming. It wasn't until the pain dulled to a bearable throb and he was certain he wasn't going to vomit on the floor that he felt the soothing presence of her fingers moving slowly through his hair. He looked up and saw her eyes watching him, filled with concern. Her fingers stopped moving the instant his eyes caught hers. She looked down, moving a little bit down the bed, farther away from him.

"Maybe that wasn't the best idea," she said softly. He wanted to argue, but his nausea had only ebbed, not disappeared completely, and he was afraid to open his mouth. Instead he just nodded and allowed her to help him lie gently back onto the bed. It was another hour before she let him try again. This time he was successful and as a reward was able to move to the couch rather than the bed. The change of scenery did little to cheer him up.

His slow progress was frustrating him endlessly. Not only was he going stir-crazy, but he felt like his injuries weren't helping his situation with Éponine. How was she supposed to forgive him when evidence of what had happened was constantly staring her in the face? If his injuries would fade then maybe her memory about what he had done to deserve them would fade a little bit as well. But he was going to be stuck with this cast for six weeks, and that seemed an eternity away.

He spent most of the day staring at the blank television screen, and then that night moved back into the bedroom to stare at the ceiling as Éponine slept soundly beside him.

He was allowed to accompany her to the Musain for a few hours during her shift the next day. The Amis made a big deal about his return, with a lot of yelling and cheering and a banner that read "Welcome Home Sebastian", which he pretended annoyed him even though he was actually a little touched. They also presented him with a _The Little Mermaid_ themed cake, which made even Éponine crack a smile.

His friend's antics picked up his mood considerably, but he still couldn't ignore the fact that being at the Musain didn't really feel the same with what had happened between him and Éponine. There were no shared glances across the room followed by shy smiles. Éponine wasn't coming to refill her friends' coffee every half hour just so they could have a few minutes of conversation. And he wasn't constantly ordering the smallest sized drink so he would have an excuse to go to the counter and order another one.

He tried not to spoil the celebration with his sour mood, but he could feel his friends' eyes on him whenever his gaze shifted to Éponine at the counter, which was often. He tried to concentrate on the Amis and their conversation, but he only managed to give himself a headache that very quickly went from painful throbbing to the sensation that spikes were growing inside of his skull and very slowly embedding themselves in his brain. He tried to hide his predicament from the Amis, but Joly was always on high alert for any sign of illness and Enjolras soon found himself lying back on the couch with ten pairs of worried eyes staring at him.

He insisted he was fine, after all it did feel like the spikes in his brain had receded a little. But he could hear his words slurring a tiny bit and none of his friends looked like they believed him. He watched as Marius hurried over to get Éponine and stifled a groan. The last thing he needed was to be more of a burden to her. He tried to sit up but his friends gently pushed him back down.

When Éponine appeared by his side she seemed frazzled. She looked him over critically, ignoring his weak protests of, "It's just a headache, I'm fine." And though he hated feeling so weak and helpless, he couldn't help but enjoy the attention she was giving him just a tiny bit. When she put her hand on his forehead he found himself leaning into it a little, having missed her touch. She removed it quickly and moved to check his ribs. Her hair fell in her face and he had to stop himself from reaching out and tucking it gently behind her ear. She seemed to be blind to the effect she was having, checking over all of his injuries as clinically as always. When she finished her examination and stood up he missed her warmth.

"I think it is just a headache, but you should go back to the apartment and get some rest. You look exhausted, and I know you haven't been sleeping very well," she said matter-of-factly. Enjolras wondered whether she knew this because he looked so tired, or if perhaps the circles under her eyes indicated that she hadn't been sleeping very well either. Maybe these past few nights they had both been just laying side by side in the bed, her pretending to sleep and him just staring at the ceiling. The thought made him upset. Would she really go to those lengths just to avoid talking to him?

He was pulled out of his musings by the loud discussion the Amis were having about who was going to take him home. He was slightly annoyed that he didn't have any say in his own actions, but he really was too tired to argue. Musichetta ended up with the task, considering her shift had just ended and she was planning on driving home anyway. He looked up at Éponine, who looked as if she was just waiting for him to argue with her, and just mumbled a resigned, "Fine." The Amis seemed shocked that he hadn't protested more. Joly wondered aloud if they should check him for a fever again, but he shut up at Enjolras' glare.

"I have to get back to work," Éponine announced. She looked towards Enjolras quickly. "I'll see you back at the apartment later," she said shortly. For a second she looked like she wanted to say something else and Enjolras sat up a little, but then she simply turned around and walked away without as much as a goodbye. Enjolras slumped back down and stared at her retreating back. The Amis were looking at him sadly. Jean Prouvaire in particular looked like he might cry at the lack of affection in their exchange.

Ten minutes later Enjolras was sitting in Musichetta's car, leaning his head against the cool glass of the window and mourning the loss of his first night of semi-freedom. They sat in silence for a few moments before Musichetta spoke up.

"How are you?" she asked kindly.

Enjolras didn't bother to move his head from the window. "Fine. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to throw up in your car if that's what you are asking," he mumbled.

"That's not what I meant, but if you did throw up I would kill you. Joly would probably feel the need to disinfect the car four times. Or maybe just set it on fire."

Enjolras chuckled a little at the thought and Musichetta looked pleased with herself for cheering him up slightly. "I meant, how are you doing with Éponine?" she continued.

Enjolras stopped smiling. He looked over at her. He wondered if he should lie, after all she was more of Éponine's friend than his. But she was still a friend and he trusted her.

"Well, I don't know what she's thinking, I don't know how she's feeling. She won't talk to me. She barely even looks at me. And I don't really blame her. So to answer your question, not great," he replied in an almost monotone voice, returning his still-throbbing head to the cold of the window.

Musichetta looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, I've been Éponine's best friend for years and I think I probably only know about half of the things that go on in her head," she told him. "She's a very private person. If she doesn't want you to know something, you won't. It's a defense mechanism. You hurt her, and now she's protecting herself from you. But I've seen the way she still looks at you when you're not paying attention. I saw how concerned she was tonight when she was checking you over. She hasn't shut you out as completely as you might think. But the longer you wait the more she is going to distance herself from you. Get her to talk to you, and soon."

Enjolras sat still for a minute, absorbing the information. The idea that Éponine's best friend thought there was still a chance filled him with hope. But he foresaw one small problem in her plan.

"How do I get her to talk to me? I don't think we've even had an actual conversation since this whole thing happened," he muttered.

"That, you'll have to figure out for yourself," Musichetta replied as she pulled in front of his apartment building. Enjolras didn't speak, lost in his thoughts, as she accompanied him into the building and onto the elevator.

Once they reached the apartment, Musichetta tried to get him to lie down on the bed and go to sleep. Instead he stubbornly sat on the couch, determined to wait up for Éponine. Musichetta just sighed. Enjolras stopped her before she moved to leave.

"Thank you for the ride. And for the advice," he said a little awkwardly.

Musichetta patted him on the arm. "Anything for the father of my future godchild," she said with a smile. She wished him luck before leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Enjolras decided he was going to talk to Éponine tonight, whether she wanted to or not. But his lack of sleep from the past few nights was coming back to haunt him, and he could feel exhaustion pulling at his eyelids. He tried to will himself to stay awake, but he must have failed because the next thing he knew it was two o'clock in the morning.

The apartment was dark and quiet, but the blanket that was snugly wrapped around him and the pillow that had been carefully placed under his head told him that Éponine had made it home. He was tempted to just close his eyes and go back to sleep, but he knew with his ribs he would regret it in the morning. Besides, sleeping was the only time he really saw Éponine anymore for a prolonged period of time. She might not sleep in his arms anymore like she used to, but at least he could be close to her. If only in a purely physical sense.

So he got up and walked as quietly as he could into the bedroom, where Éponine was fast asleep. He brushed his teeth and changed out of his jeans before slipping as quietly as he could under the covers beside her. For a second he thought he had woken her up as she made a soft groaning noise and slowly turned over. But then she snaked her arm around his waist. Enjolras stilled, surprised by the action. She continued to curl into him in her sleep, her head in the crook of his neck and her front pressed close to his chest. He held his breath for a moment, wondering if she would wake up and realize what she had done. But she was still breathing evenly, her face calm and untroubled. And though he knew she would probably go back to ignoring him in the morning and that this might set him back in his mission to get her to talk to him, he put his arm around her, his hand resting on the round curve of her stomach.

He held her tightly, savoring the feeling of having her safe in his arms again. He wondered how he had survived the last few days with only lingering touches and stunted conversation. It was as if the silence and her indifference and the pain in his ribs melted away for a few moments. He fell into a blissful sleep, and slept through the night for the first time in days.

In the morning he woke up before she did and just stared at her, memorizing every inch of her beautiful, peaceful face. Her eyelashes and the curve of her chin. The way her brow twitched slightly while she was dreaming. He was afraid to move, knowing that if she woke up the spell would be broken, that they would go back to the way they had been the past few days. He found himself wishing they could stay there forever. His heart fell as her hand moved slightly, her eyes opening groggily.

When her eyes met his they were shining, and her mouth turned up in a small smile of contentment with the hazy fog of sleep clouding her mind. In that moment he felt for the first time in days that everything would be alright. Then her eyes flicked to the cast on his wrist in confusion, and the events of the past few days came back to her. He watched as her eyes lost their light and her smile turned down. Suddenly she looked uncomfortable in his embrace. He had his arm around her, but she was miles out of his reach. He lifted his arm off of her waist tentatively.

"Sorry," he muttered.

She sat up quickly and turned away from him. "It's alright," she said softly as she stood up and walked away.

He lay there for a few minutes as the last of her warmth seeped out of the sheets. He realized that by holding her he had pushed her farther away. He might have appreciated the irony if it wasn't so depressing.

Éponine spent most of the day ignoring him. Enjolras spent most of the day trying to get her to talk to him and receiving monosyllabic responses. He went to the Musain and managed to stay there her whole shift without being forced out by his overprotective friends. He spent most of his time openly, blatantly staring at her. Sometimes at her face, sometimes at the bump in her stomach– which seemed to be growing every day despite the tension between them. He wondered if he would be able to feel the baby kicking by now. He wished he had paid closer attention the night before when he had had the opportunity to check. He knew he looked pathetic and was probably making his friends uncomfortable, but he just didn't care anymore. It was proof of her skill at evasiveness that she managed to barely look at him once during the entire shift.

That night she laid as far on the edge of the bed as she could without being in danger of falling off. It was around three AM when he decided he couldn't take this anymore. They were going to have a conversation and they were going to resolve this tomorrow, for better or for worse. Though he didn't really want to think about what "for worse" would entail. His decision made, he managed to fall into an uneasy sleep, realizing that the following day had the potential to either mend his life back together, or completely shatter it apart.

* * *

Éponine's shift at the Musain the next day ended at eight o'clock, so he decided to make her dinner. He thought that maybe she would soften to him a little if he fed her. Food usually was a direct line to Éponine's heart, though this situation was a little more than his Fettuccine Alfredo could solve.

He had the whole table set when she walked through the door. She stopped short at the sight of him sitting in the dining room surrounded by her favorite foods.

"What's all this?" she asked suspiciously.

"I made dinner," he answered as cheerfully as he could. He stood up too quickly, banging his knee on the table in his hurry to rush around the table to pull out her chair for her. He stopped himself from swearing loudly at the sudden pain in his leg. "I figured you've been taking care of me the last few days and now that I'm back on my feet, it's time for me to do something nice for you," he continued as nonchalantly as he could with a throbbing knee.

Éponine didn't say a word as she sat down in the chair Enjolras had pulled out for her. Enjolras slightly limped back to his seat and they stared at each other in awkward silence for a moment. Enjolras picked up his fork hoping it would spur Éponine to do the same. He was relieved when she followed his example.

"So, how was work?" he asked with a smile. He was hoping to lead into the no doubt uncomfortable discussion they were going to have later. Though he wasn't expecting much after her chilly reception the past few days.

"It was fine," she said softly.

Enjolras waited for a moment for her to elaborate, but it seemed that was all she had to say. He watched as she spun some of her pasta around her fork and took a bite. She seemed to enjoy it, so there was that at least.

"So I have that follow up appointment with the doctor tomorrow. If I get the all clear I think I can go back to class on Monday," he said quickly, determined to start some kind of conversation– however inane.

"That's good," she answered, taking another bite of food. Enjolras realized this was going to be harder than he thought. He decided to change tactics.

"So, have you been feeling okay lately?"

Éponine raised her eyebrow at him.

Enjolras cleared his throat nervously. "I mean, you know with the baby and everything?" He gestured towards her stomach awkwardly.

"I'm fine," she said in between bites of pasta. He was really starting to hate that word, _fine_.

"Because I know you've had back pain recently," he continued cautiously.

"It's alright. It's normal," she said dismissively.

Enjolras just nodded and ate a mouthful of pasta. He wasn't even hungry anymore, not with the nerves this stilted conversation was causing, but he needed to do something to fill the awkward silence. He realized Éponine was probably doing the same thing. They sat in silence for a few more moments.

Enjolras could feel the tension building in his stomach. He was tired of waiting, it was all he had done the past few days. He needed her to talk to him _now._ He decided to try one more attempt at normal conversation. "Have you thought any more about baby names?"

Éponine didn't even look up. "Not really."

Enjolras sighed. Maybe it was time to just come out with it. The soft approach didn't seem to be working.

He took a deep breath. "Éponine, I..."

"You know, I'm actually really full," Éponine interrupted as she stood up hastily, moving towards the kitchen before Enjolras had the chance to protest.

Enjolras rushed out of his seat to follow her. "Wait, I think we need to talk about what happened," he said swiftly.

"Enjolras, I'm really tired. I don't feel like talking about this right now," Éponine said softly, placing her dish in the sink.

Enjolras ran his hands through his hair. He could feel his resolve cracking. He was usually so good at hiding his emotions (they didn't call him the marble man for nothing) but he wasn't sure he could do it anymore. Éponine was being emotionless enough for the both of them.

"If not now, then when?" he asked impatiently. She was standing with her back to him, but he could see her hands clenching on the edge of the sink.

"It's been a long day, I'm going to bed," she said quietly, pushing herself off the sink. Enjolras took her hand as she walked by.

"Éponine, please," he pleaded. "Please, just talk to me." He could feel his throat tightening. It made his voice sound raw.

Éponine was looking down, as if she was determined not to look in his eyes. She pulled her hand out of his grasp. "I just... I don't want to talk about it, Sebastian."

"But we need to talk about the riot. How else are we going to move past it? Don't you want to move past it?" he asked desperately, his voice cracking. Éponine continued to avert her eyes. Enjolras felt like someone had a fist around his insides and was slowly squeezing.

"Éponine, I can't take this anymore. Please just say _something_," he pleaded, his voice sounding desperate and foreign to his ears. She still wouldn't answer him, turning her face away from his.

"Do you want me to beg? Because I will. I will actually get on the ground and beg. That is the point I am at right now. I will do anything, _anything_. What do you want? What can I do, how can I fix this?" He could feel his eyes filling with tears but he was too upset and exhausted to even muster up an ounce of embarrassment.

She stared at him and for a second he was sure that she was going to reply. Sure that he saw something in her eyes. She cocked her head and then opened her mouth before shutting it again. "I don't know. Maybe you can't," she answered softly, her mouth curved down. She stood there for a few more moments before she turned from him, walking away.

Enjolras felt something within him snap. "How can you be this apathetic?" he yelled at her retreating back. She stopped walking, her body frozen mid-step. "I understand that I hurt you. But we are having a baby, and we agreed to do this together. So doesn't that merit giving me another shot? Doesn't what we have mean anything to you? Because it sure as hell means everything to me."

Éponine turned around slowly, and after a week of indifferent glances and emotionless eyes he was unprepared for the pure undiluted rage in her glare. "You think I don't care?" she seethed. And though Enjolras had been waiting a week for any sort of emotion from her he instinctually took a step back at her biting tone.

She took a step towards him, her walk almost predatory. "Do you know what it was like to get that call from Combeferre? That you were in the hospital, unconscious, after doing something you told me you wouldn't do? I trusted you. I told you things I have never told anyone. I let myself feel things for you that I have never felt for _anyone_." Her voice began to soften, sounding more upset than angry, but it didn't lose its edge. He could see angry tears pricking her eyes but she didn't let them fall.

"I thought I was safe with you, like maybe it was okay to let go and just be happy for once. And I was happy. Blissfully, ignorantly, stupidly so. And I was daydreaming about our future and 2.5 kids and white picket fences. It was like I was a little girl again, playing house because I was too naïve to realize that the world wasn't this magical place where everything just works out. And then you crashed me back to reality. And suddenly I was sitting in the hospital and it just hurt too much. So maybe I have been distant these past few days. But don't mistake that for a lack of caring. If anything I care too much," she finished in a rush, breathing heavily.

Enjolras was frozen in place. He finally had his opportunity to talk to her and for a moment he was lost for words. He had known how much he had hurt her, that he was the reason she had shut down like she did, but it was still hard to hear her say it out loud. He took one step forward, she took one step back. He sighed, wanting more than anything to close the distance between them.

"We weren't just playing house, Éponine," he said gently. "It was real, everything. It still is real. This thing between us, it's special. I don't have much to compare it to, but I know that I'll never feel this way about anyone else. And I think you feel the same way about me. I'm sorry that I let you down, you have no idea how sorry I am. But you can trust me. I will never do anything like that again. Don't let my stupid mistake ruin what we have. Please don't shut me out."

Éponine was silent for a few moments. Her head was tilted to the side. Away from him, like it was still hard for her to look him in the eyes.

"I don't want to," Éponine said softly. "It's just hard. I was never good at trusting people. But I trusted you." She sounded so disappointed in him. Enjolras felt his heart wretch, guilt rising up in his chest.

"I know, and you can still trust me. I'll prove it to you if you just give me a chance," he said evenly, his voice slightly pleading.

Éponine didn't look convinced. "You say that now, but there will always be another riot won't there? There will always be this uncertainty that you'll come home to me in one piece. If you'll end up in jail, or in a body bag," she said despondently, her eyes wide and hopeless.

Enjolras was silent for a few moments, unsure of how to respond. All he wanted to do was to make her happy again. To fix what he had broken. But he didn't know how to do that.

"What do you want me to say Éponine? That I'll never protest again, that I'll get my law degree and then sit at a desk for the rest of my life?" he asked, his voice deadly serious. Like if she said the word he might actually consider it.

Éponine scoffed, and when she spoke her tone was a mix of disbelief and anger. "Of course not. I don't want you to give up on what you believe in. It's part of the reason I love you. And I will be right there with you every step of the way, but you can't be so reckless about your life." Her tone softened slightly. "Can't you help people without getting yourself into these dangerous situations? It is possible to help other people without sacrificing yourself."

A few tears escaped her eyes and she hastily wiped them away. "I'm not upset that you wanted to go to the protest, I'm not upset that you wanted to stop police corruption. I'm upset because you lied to me, and you willfully put yourself in danger. What if something worse had happened to you? What if the baby never got to meet you? If they lost the chance to have a father because you valued your beliefs over your own child? I've accepted that I'll probably always be second to your causes. And that's alright, I'm okay with that. But this baby, it has to come first."

Enjolras swallowed thickly. He realized that he hasn't really grasped the scope of how much he had hurt her, of how much he had made her doubt him and his intentions. He took a step towards her and this time she didn't move away from him. She was finally looking straight into his eyes, her brown orbs still watery with tears. He kept eye contact with her as he chose his next words carefully.

"You're right. I didn't think about you and the baby, and I should have," he confessed. "But I've never loved anyone before and honestly, I just don't know what the hell I'm doing. After everything with my father... I wasn't sure how I was going to help people anymore or what I was fighting for. So I threw myself into a new cause because that's how I always dealt with my problems in the past. By ignoring my own issues and fixing something else instead. But I have you now, and I should have let you help me instead of falling back on old habits. And I should never have let you think that you are second to anything, because you aren't." He couldn't tell how she was feeling from her eyes, but they were clear and focused, and he knew he had her full attention.

"My causes are important to me, they always will be. But before you, before the Amis, they weren't important for the right reasons. I was just angry, and upset and confused. At my dad, at my sister, at my mom for leaving. So I tried to make life a little less painful for everyone else. And that kept me going for a few years. But you are the one that gave me something real to fight for." He took another step towards her, till they were so close they were almost touching. He lowered his voice slightly. "All of this, it means nothing if you're not there with me. You are not second to my causes, and neither is this baby. Everything I do, it's for you, for a better life for us. I'm sorry it has taken me this long to realize it."

He gently took Éponine's hand in his, interlocking their fingers slightly. There were so many emotions flitting through her eyes that he couldn't pinpoint a single one. He spoke again, willing her to understand that he was telling the truth.

"You and the baby mean everything to me," he said gently. "I won't take that for granted again. I won't risk getting hurt or arrested and leaving you. I'll be more careful."

Éponine's eyes were shining, and this time he could make out hope and fear within their depths. She squeezed his hand lightly. "You were always so good with words. But how do I know it's real?" she asked cautiously, her voice shaky with tears.

Enjolras hesitated slightly before slowly reaching up his free hand and resting it on her cheek, his thumb lightly grazing her cheekbone. He heard her breath catch slightly.

"Let me show you. I'm not asking you to forgive me. I'm asking you to give me a chance to make it up to you. Let me back in, let me prove that you can trust me again," he said, more calmly than he felt.

She was silent for a moment, her eyebrows knit in concentration. He found himself holding his breath, knowing his future was in her hands.

"Okay," she responded, so softly that he barely heard it.

"Okay?" he repeated in slight disbelief.

Éponine nodded. "Okay, I'll give you a chance," she said clearly. "We'll fix this, together. I won't shut myself off from you again."

"I won't give you a reason to," Enjolras said with as much confidence as he could muster.

"Promise?" she whispered, needing that final bit of reassurance.

He stroked her cheek lightly with the pad of his thumb. "I promise."

They stared at each other for a few moments before Éponine threw her arms around him. He was caught off guard for a second, not having expected her to initiate physical contact. But he was quick to return the hug, wrapping his arms tightly around her as he buried his face in her hair. He felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest. Like he could finally breath for the first time in a week. She smelled like vanilla with a hint of coffee. He thought it might be his new favorite scent.

"I missed you," he said softly into her ear.

"I missed you too," she whispered back, her voice muffled from where her face was pressed against his chest. Enjolras smiled broadly at her words. He tentatively moved one of his hands from her waist to the bump in her stomach. He could feel her lips forming a smile against his chest at the movement. He still couldn't feel any kicking to his slight disappointment, but for now it was enough that she was allowing this kind of intimacy. They stood in silence for several minutes, making up for their lack of contact in the past few days.

He almost protested when she pulled back slightly. She looked up at his face, her eyes slightly apprehensive. Enjolras held his breath slightly in anticipation of her next words.

"You know this isn't going to be instantaneous right?" Éponine said hesitantly. "I'm still going to need some time." She looked nervous, but Enjolras simply exhaled in relief.

"I can do that. I can wait. However long it takes," he said sincerely, his eyes soft. "I would wait for you forever."

Éponine kissed him softly on the cheek. She looked into his eyes. "I have a feeling it won't take forever." She smiled, widely and genuinely, and it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

She moved her face back to its place on his chest for another moment. "I think I'm going to go to bed," she said softly, slowly extracting herself from his arms. He was disappointed for a moment, worried that this whole thing had just been a momentary lapse and she was closing herself off again. But then she looked up at him expectantly. "Are you coming?" she asked, her hand outstretched and a smile on her face. He almost laughed at how quickly he had jumped to conclusions.

Enjolras looked around before answering her, at the dishes in the sink and the remains of their dinner strewn over the table. He decided cleaning up could wait until the morning. The only thing that mattered right now was the girl standing in front of him.

He took her hand. "Lead the way," he said with a grin as she started to pull him slowly towards the bedroom.

That night he fell asleep with his arms around her, this time voluntarily on her part. She had spread out in her sleep, her body across his arm, their legs tangled, and her head heavy on his chest. And though his arm was asleep and his body was overheating and his ribs were almost screaming at him in protest, he was more comfortable than he had been in a week.

She hadn't forgiven him yet, but it was a start. He had his second chance, and he was _not_ going to waste it.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: So it's been more than a month... I kind of suck don't I? I'm really sorry about the wait, hopefully the next chapter won't take me so long. This chapter is not quite as long as the last one, but still one of my longer chapters overall. As always thank you for the reviews, favorites, follows, and just for reading the story in general. Enjoy!  
**

* * *

Chapter 28

Éponine watched as Enjolras' eyes fluttered closed, his head bobbing over his textbook for a few seconds then suddenly snapping up again, his blue eyes bleary and confused, before his eyelids started fluttering once more. This endless cycle had been going on for half an hour, but exhaustion seemed to finally be winning over. She was relieved when at last his head fell onto the back of the couch, mouth wide open and breathing heavily. Courfeyrac and Grantaire were snickering softly at the spectacle but Éponine quieted them quickly with a look, knowing how much he needed the sleep.

Over the last few days their relationship had been slowly returning somewhat to normal, but there was still tension between them that they couldn't seem to shake. Awkward silences that hung in the air, physical contact almost initiated and then retracted at the last moment. It wasn't that they weren't trying. Enjolras for his part seemed to be determined to be the perfect boyfriend, and Éponine had to admit that he was doing a very good job. He spent every available moment with her. He never shied away from an opportunity to talk about her feelings, or his feelings, or just discuss anything at all with her really. She was still finding it hard to open up to him, but he was exceedingly patient with her, letting her work through things on her own terms.

The only problem was that he really didn't have time to be the perfect boyfriend. Now that he was back in class he had a pile of work to catch up on in addition to an already stressful week filled with exams and papers. If this were a few weeks ago he would have been barricading himself in his study, only emerging for necessities like food and water. Instead he was accompanying her to the Musain, eating dinner with her, having long conversations with her into the night. He would go to bed with her at a normal hour but then wake up only a few hours later, in what could still be considered the same night, to feverishly complete the work that he hadn't been able to finish during her shifts or in between classes. He didn't exactly hide this routine from her; in fact he had been trying very hard not to hide anything from her recently. But he also acted like it was not a big deal when she found him every morning passed out on the kitchen table.

Éponine wasn't fooled by his act, and she knew trying to do everything at once was definitely taking a toll on him. This was especially worrisome since he had never had the chance to get back to one hundred percent after the riot fiasco. With his still healing injuries he needed more sleep than usual, and instead he was getting less than ever.

She was dying to tell him that they could put this on hold until things got back to normal. That he could just focus on his work and getting better, and when he was done with that they could work on them. But she knew the only things keeping him going were coffee and the certainty that they were getting their relationship back on track. So she didn't force him to sleep, but she certainly wasn't going to wake him up now that he was finally getting some rest. Even if that position was going to kill his neck.

She sighed as she listened to his heavy breathing. She was trying desperately to let him in, but she was having a hard time. She still found herself shutting herself off occasionally, as if she was switching to autopilot. She constantly had to bring herself back, to force herself to look him in the eyes and tell him how she was feeling. It was at these times that she had to remind herself that he was still the same Enjolras she had always known, the same one who had been with her every step of the way for the last few months.

She knew all he really wanted to hear her say was that she forgave him, but she wasn't ready yet. It wasn't that she didn't forgive him, in fact most of the time she felt like she already had. But there were still moments where the betrayal she had felt at the hospital came rushing back to her and it was like it was happening all over again. She didn't want to tell him everything was okay until she was absolutely sure that it was, until she was absolutely sure that she could trust him.

She missed their familiarity, the laughter and the comfort and how easy everything seemed when they were together. She knew that she was the one standing in the way of their relationship at the moment. She felt like she was looking at their old life through a veil, and all she had to do to reach it was to push it to the side. And she kept reaching; sometimes her fingers an inch away, but she just couldn't make contact. It was so close that it was almost painful.

But maybe it was time to close that extra distance. Maybe she couldn't forgive him just yet, but maybe that old familiarity, that laughter and the comfort weren't that far out of reach.

An idea came to her as she watched Feuilly work on a flyer with his rainbow of sharpies. It was stupid and childish so she immediately dismissed it, but it kept nagging on the back of her mind. She tried to convince herself that it was a bad idea, that it would only make him mad. But at the same time, it also might make him laugh a little, and she would certainly find it funny. A few weeks ago she wouldn't have even hesitated, and it was with this thought she decided that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. Maybe it was time for them to stop tiptoeing around each other.

She smiled as she made her way over to Feuilly, suddenly feeling more like herself than she had in weeks.

* * *

Enjolras came back to consciousness slowly. At first he tried to block out the hushed voices that sounded muffled and far away, preferring to drift back off to sleep. But he couldn't ignore the pain in his neck that was keeping him awake. He shifted slightly and suddenly the voices stopped. He sighed contently, feeling the slightly course fabric of the couch beneath him. He wondered for a moment why he was on a couch, and it was this thought that had him jerking awake.

It took him a moment to get his bearings, and once he did he was annoyed to realize that he had lost study time for something as insignificant as sleep. He looked up and almost startled when he noticed that everyone was staring at him with odd expressions on their faces. Grantaire and Courfeyrac looked like they were barely containing their laughter, and Combeferre seemed like he was trying very hard not to meet Enjolras' eyes.

What struck him most though was Éponine's expression. He could see the corners of her mouth twitching in amusement, her eyes shining with mirth. She looked more composed than most of their friends, but he knew that she was seconds away from bursting into laughter as well. It was an expression he hadn't seen in what felt like a very long time, and he couldn't help the slight smile that came to his face upon seeing it. Even if his friends' weird looks were starting to unnerve him.

He wondered if he had done something embarrassing in his sleep. Maybe he had been snoring, or worse _drooling_. He self-consciously rubbed his hand over his mouth but it came back dry. His friends seemed to become even more amused by his gesture, with Courfeyrac letting out a snicker. None of them actually said anything though as they continued to stare at him. He felt his bewilderment turn to annoyance.

"Why didn't anyone wake me up?" he grumbled, his voice scratchy.

Many of the Amis exchanged quick glances, as if they knew something he didn't. "You just looked so peaceful, and you were practically dead to the world," Courfeyrac answered, smiling mischievously. His grin made Enjolras very uneasy.

He suddenly had a horrible thought. He couldn't remember what his dream had been about, what if it had been about Éponine? What if it had been... _private_? He tended to talk in his sleep when he was exhausted. What if he had said something... _personal_ or moaned or something. He could feel his face going bright red. He glanced over at Éponine quickly, she still had that amused grin on her face, and was avoiding his eyes as if she was trying to prevent herself from laughing. He calmed down a bit, realizing if he had said anything in his sleep she would probably be bright red as well.

Now that the embarrassment was fading he started to feel annoyance again. He waited a moment, hoping someone would clue him into what was so funny, but they just kept looking at him. It was as if they were all waiting for something.

"What?" he asked irritably.

"Nothing," Grantaire answered quickly. Everyone turned away from him, suddenly acting like they had never been staring in the first place.

"Whatever," Enjolras muttered to himself. He didn't have time for this, he had fifty pages of reading to complete, two quizzes tomorrow in completely differing subjects, an annotated bibliography to finish for a ten page essay that was only partially done, and a test in three days that he hadn't even thought about studying for yet. He pulled the textbook on his lap back towards him, irritated that he had not only fallen asleep but also let his friends distract him. Although it might have been worth it for the look Éponine had on her face, even if he had no idea what caused it.

He had only gotten through two paragraphs when he realized that something in the periphery of his vision was slightly _off_. He was almost afraid to look, realizing that it was the reason all of his friends seemed so highly amused. He steeled himself, closing his eyes for a moment in exasperation before looking slightly to his left. He stared in confusion, his brain taking a second to comprehend what exactly was wrong with this picture as the array of colors assaulted his eyes. He realized he was looking at a series of drawings, seemingly completed by various members of the Amis considering their quality ranged from spectacular to stick figures. In another situation Enjolras might have found their contents amusing, but he was having a hard time finding the humor in the situation considering the "artwork" was on his arm. Or more specifically the cast on his wrist. The cast that he was going to be stuck with for at least another five weeks.

He turned to glare at his friends but they had already burst out laughing, Courfeyrac actually falling out of his chair. Combeferre at least had the decency to look slightly guilty, but he was laughing just as hard as the rest of them.

Enjolras was really not in the mood for this. He was exhausted and stressed and just generally did not feel like watching his friends laugh at him for what would probably be a good ten minutes. He sighed, knowing he would never get anything done with all the noise, and he might as well just stew in his anger until they were done.

While he was waiting he examined his cast, figuring he might as well know what was on it if he was going to be stuck with it for more than a month. There were multiple drawings all overlapping each other, and he could only pick out a few clear images. There was a god on top of a cloud throwing a lightning bolt, a Polish flag, a sketch of the Musain, a crown (no doubt just to piss him off), for some reason a unicorn, a crudely drawn picture of a statue (which he supposed was made of marble, how original), what looked to be one of his favorite Rousseau quotes (in Éponine's handwriting), and of course that stupid crab from _The Little Mermaid. _He imagined the Amis hunched over his arm, giggling to themselves as they anticipated his reaction. He really must have been dead to the world if they had managed to do all of this without waking him up. He turned his cast over, and sure enough it was covered just as thoroughly on the other side.

He just sat there, silently seething for a few moments as the laughter rushed over him. He just really didn't need this right now. He had reading to do and papers to write and ribs that needed to heal and a girlfriend who he _needed_ to forgive him. He just wanted to finish his work and then crawl into bed with Éponine for a couple blissful hours of sleep before starting the cycle all over again. He actually felt there was a high possibility of him throwing a temper tantrum like a three-year old child. He wondered who the ringleader was for this operation. It was probably Courfeyrac, though he definitely couldn't rule out Grantaire. And Feuilly was the artist among them, though based on some of this "artwork" he knew that he had not been singularly responsible. In fact, based on his perusal of his cast it looked like everyone had contributed, even Éponine.

Just as he was having this thought a rough chuckle cut through the din of laughter and brought him out of his musings. He turned his head quickly and sure enough saw Éponine shaking in laughter, her smile shining on her face with her dimples more prominent than ever. God he had missed that laugh. It was rough and unrestrained, like she was holding nothing back. She was so good at hiding most of her emotions, but her laugh was always transparent. When she made that noise it was one of pure, unrefined happiness. She didn't have a fake polite laugh reserved for bad jokes or long-winded stories. When she laughed like that, she always meant it. It had been a while since he had heard it, and even though he was still angry he felt his traitorous lips curving slightly. If whoever had started this had done it with the intention of making her laugh like that, then maybe it wouldn't be too hard to forgive them.

It was at this moment that she turned to look at him and her smile fell slightly and her laughter ceased. His heart seized, and he wondered if the sight of him was what made her stop. Did he really make her that uncomfortable? She bit her lip slightly and he realized that it wasn't that she looked unhappy; it was that she suddenly seemed slightly nervous. And that's when it hit him. _She_ had been the one to orchestrate this.

He couldn't believe it had only just occurred to him. A few months ago she would have been his first suspect. She was the only one who wouldn't worry about incurring his wrath. Even before they had gotten together she had enjoyed pushing his buttons, trying to get him to "lighten up" as she would say. The Éponine he had known recently, the distant withdrawn Éponine he had created with his actions, would never have done this. But the girl he had first met in the café, she would have done it in a heartbeat. Maybe she wasn't that far gone after all.

She was giving him a questioning look, as if she was unsure of herself, but the ghost of a smile was still apparent on her face. He knew she was asking if this was okay, if they could go back to being like this. He smiled widely and she returned it quickly, glancing down somewhat shyly as her dimples made a second appearance.

It seemed like such a small thing, this prank, but he saw it for what it was, her attempt to fix things between them. He had been the one doing most of the heavy lifting in the mending of their relationship, and rightfully so considering he was the one that broke it in the first place. This was her way of picking up some of the slack. Maybe he really hadn't messed things up beyond repair. He couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped his lips. At the moment he didn't even care that he was going to have to wear long sleeves for a good portion of the foreseeable future.

He realized then that the laughter had stopped. When he turned the Amis were staring at him as if he had just declared his desire for France to return to a monarchy.

"Did you just laugh?" Grantaire asked incredulously, his eyes wide. "Do you actually see the humor in the situation for once?"

Enjolras scowled at him, forcing a glare onto his face. In truth he wasn't even all that mad anymore, but that didn't mean his friends were getting off scot-free for this.

"Hey, why are you mad at us? Éponine started it!" Courfeyrac exclaimed, already looking a little nervous under Enjolras' gaze. Combeferre smacked him lightly in the back of the head, obviously not wanting to give Éponine and Enjolras any more reasons to fight.

"Enjolras, you got a _white_ cast and then refused to let any of us sign it. You practically _forced_ us to do this," Grantaire said with a roll of his eyes.

Enjolras felt his anger picking up a little at this comment. "Is that so?" he said coolly. He smiled icily, enjoying the way Grantaire's face paled a little at his expression.

"In that case I should probably thank you for this magnificent piece of art. It will be an honor to wear it for five weeks," he said with false enthusiam. "Although I am having a little trouble understanding what all of these drawings mean. For instance this one here, is that supposed to be a child? And it looks like they are _dancing_ if I had to guess. But why would someone draw that on my cast? Why would that be relevant to anything?" Enjolras pretended to think about it as Grantaire turned almost as white as Enjolras' cast had been an hour ago. His eyes were wide and he shook his head almost imperceptibly as Enjolras stared him down.

"Actually, that was very inconsiderate of us," Grantaire said quickly, his voice shaking a little. "We shouldn't have gone against your wishes like that and invaded your personal space. I think I can speak for everyone here when I say we are truly and deeply sorry." He bowed his head slightly in shame for the additional effect.

Now everyone was looking at Grantaire as if he had just announced that he planned to stop drinking.

"I'm not sorry," Bahorel interjected. "I thought it was fucking hilarious." The rest of the Amis nodded in agreement.

Enjolras narrowed his eyes. He had been considering letting this matter go, but now he was thinking that a little revenge might be in order.

"Well I'm glad all of you had fun," he said indignantly. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to get back to work." He looked down at his textbook again as if the matter was over.

There was silence for a few moments. "That's it? You aren't going to try to get back at us or anything?" Joly asked a little timidly.

Enjolras sighed, looking up in exasperation. "It may surprise all of you, but I have better things to do than get into a childish prank war with my friends, such as come up with a plan for the next issue that requires our attention."

They all looked at him expectantly. Éponine looked a little suspicious at his tone of voice. Finally Combeferre asked the question on everyone's mind. "And that would be?"

He lifted his head and looked at his friends seriously, pausing for a few moments for dramatic effect. "Rising taxes."

The Amis all looked horrified. Courfeyrac blanched. "You wouldn't," he said in a strangled whisper.

"I think it would be a good idea to look through all of the city's finances, to make sure that the money is all going to the right places," he said in one of his best 'important speech' voices. "And of course research tax law again, just so we are all more informed on the issue. It might take a little while, we may have to work on this for a few months, but I think it will be worth it in the end."

They all stared at him in varying states of shock, except for Combeferre who was nodding along with his friend in agreement.

"Now Feuilly, I know you weren't part of our group the last time we took on this issue, but it was a very memorable and rewarding experience for everyone. It was really a shame that we had to stop before we could finish, but it had been a month and we had barely made a dent. And there were so many other issues that required our attention. But I think the time is finally right to revisit the cause and really do it justice this time. I know Courfeyrac will be ecstatic to get back to looking through all those piles of tax returns."

He turned to look at Courfeyrac, whose eyes were suddenly unfocused. He had a tortured look on his face, as if he was reliving some painful memory. "I forgot what happiness was," he said in a haunted whisper.

"That's nice," Enjolras responded off-handedly. "Well I really should be getting back, it's getting late and I have to get some books from the library tomorrow about the history of tax law. It's a good thing we discovered where that section was in the library last time we were there isn't it Éponine?" he said with a sly smile as he began to gather up his things. Éponine barely suppressed a giggle at the memory.

"Care to join me?" he asked her, offering her a hand up.

She smiled as she took his hand. He was pleased that she didn't let go of it once she was standing.

"Goodnight everyone!" he said as they made their way to the door. "Don't stay up too late, we have a _long_ day ahead of us tomorrow."

He smirked as he heard Joly whisper, "He's just kidding right?" and Bossuet answer, "I think so?" in an unsure voice.

"That was impressive," Éponine said in an incredulous voice once they were outside. "Courfeyrac looked like he was going to cry."

"I learned from the best," Enjolras replied with a smile.

"I don't know if I should be proud or scared of the monster I have created," she said with a smirk, her eyes twinkling.

Enjolras pretended to think for a moment. "Probably a little bit of both."

They walked for a few moments of silence as Enjolras savored how normal this felt. Walking home hand in hand as they teased each other. A sudden urge came over him, something he had wanted to do for a few days now, and he stopped in his tracks. Éponine was pulled to a stop too, and she turned to look at him in confusion.

"What is it?" she asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

He struggled to find the right words, suddenly feeling strangely nervous.

"Nothing," he stammered. "I was just wondering if you wanted to do something this weekend. Like maybe have dinner or go see a movie?" He winced slightly at how stupid he sounded.

A smile lit up Éponine's face. "Are you asking me out on a date?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I guess," he said quietly, his cheeks burning as he looked down in embarrassment. "It has recently occurred to me that although we've been 'dating' for months we haven't really been on an actual date yet." He looked at her expectantly, running his hand through his hair nervously.

Éponine pretended to mull over his words for a few moments. "Okay," she said with a smile after what felt like an eternity. "But I have a two conditions."

Enjolras exhaled in relief. "And they are?"

"Number one, you need to get more sleep. And that means you have to do whatever it takes in order to finish your work, even if that means shutting yourself in your study and relinquishing contact with the human world for a few days." Enjolras opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "I know you have been sacrificing sleep in order to spend time with me, but I'd rather barely see you and know you are being healthy than have to witness you almost falling asleep in your breakfast every morning." She gave him a pointed look, as if to tell him that this issue was non-negotiable.

Enjolras groaned a little, but he did have to admit that she was right. He really was exhausted. "Fine," he mumbled.

"Second condition. Dinner _and_ a movie. And I want to pick the movie. And the dinner can't be anywhere too fancy. I don't want you spending too much money on me. And do not, under any circumstances, let Jean Prouvaire plan any part of this date, he'd probably have you booking a private yacht and a string quartet."

Enjolras smiled. "That's more than two conditions," he pointed out.

"I added a few addendums," she deadpanned. "So do we have a deal?" She held out her hand for him to shake.

Enjolras smiled. "Deal," he replied, shaking her hand formally.

"In that case it was a pleasure doing business with you," she said with a smile, keeping a hold on his hand as she starting walking again in the direction of their apartment. She stopped after a moment and turned back to him, a troubled expression on her face.

"Wait, you _were_ kidding about all that tax reform stuff back at the Musain, right?" she asked, her eyes wide. "I've done my best to forget about that month but I do remember that those were dark, dark times."

Enjolras chuckled. "Don't worry. I may have acted like I was enjoying myself, but believe me I was suffering just as much as the rest of you. I would never put anyone through that again." Éponine exhaled in relief.

"I think I might still check out those books though. You know, just for the looks on their faces tomorrow," he added with a gleam in his eyes.

"Enjolras, that's a horrible idea," Éponine scoffed. Enjolras glanced at her in confusion, wondering why she wasn't jumping at the chance to torture the Amis. "You don't have time to check those books out. I'll do it for you," she added. He chuckled at her response.

"Are you sure you remember where they are?" he couldn't help asking.

"Trust me, I remember," she responded, smiling somewhat shyly at the ground.

They both blushed at the memory of those earlier, easier times. He locked his eyes on hers as she looked up at him and for a moment they were silent. His heart rate picked up slightly as he realized how close they were. He could see every shade of brown in her eyes. He realized how easy it would be to lean forward, to capture her lips with his. But they had made so much progress and he didn't want to push her away. He hesitated slightly before lifting up his hand slowly and pushing away a lock of hair from her eyes. He let his hand linger, gauging her reaction. She leaned into him slightly, a comfortable look on her face, her eyes drifting shut. He wondered if maybe he should close that distance after all.

He had just begun to lean in when there was a loud shout followed by high-pitched laughter as a group of friends tumbled out of a restaurant nearby. They both sprang apart from the noise, the moment broken. Enjolras was disappointed, but he realized that maybe it was for the best. After all a little banter was a big step away from actual physical intimacy, and he wasn't sure she was ready yet.

There was awkwardness between them now that the moment was over. Enjolras shuffled his feet as Éponine avoided his gaze, a blush on her cheeks. For a second he wondered if this night had just been a fluke.

But then he felt her hand in his, and when he looked up she was smiling at him, her eyes warm. He caught sight of his cast as he looked down at their intertwined hands and couldn't help but grin.

"Come on," she said softly. "Let's go home." She squeezed his hand gently as she started to walk, pulling him along with her.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, and Enjolras realized that at the moment he was completely content. He knew they weren't back to the way they were just yet, but he was satisfied that they had regained some sense of normalcy in their relationship. Maybe everything wasn't perfect at the moment, and maybe they didn't have everything figured out. But they were both trying. They were both here, together.

He loved her. And he knew she still loved him. And right now, he realized, that was more than enough.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Sorry once again for the wait, but here is another ridiculously long chapter! I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

Chapter 29

Enjolras was a bit of a blur the next few days. Éponine was glad that he finally had the time to get his work done and that his sleeping habits seemed to be back to normal (or at least as normal as any college student). But she couldn't help but miss him a little, even if it was selfish –especially considering she was the one that suggested (demanded) that he focus on school in the first place. She just wished they had better timing, because she could not stop thinking about their almost kiss the other day, if you could call it that. She couldn't even be sure that he had been about to kiss her considering she had her eyes closed. But she had practically felt him leaning in, his lips getting closer and closer to hers before they were interrupted. Now it was all she could think about.

Every night when he slipped into bed beside her she thought about mentioning it, but she knew that would lead to a long discussion he didn't have time for. Besides, he was usually out like a light the second his head hit the pillow.

She supposed she would just have to wait for their date. She couldn't help the little swoop she felt in her stomach every time she thought about it. She felt silly getting so excited for something as trivial as dinner and a movie, but she also knew that it was a good sign. It felt nice to just let herself feel something again, and to be excited for their relationship. Cosette and Musichetta actually squealed when Éponine told them about Enjolras "asking her out" and insisted on helping her pick out an outfit and doing her hair and makeup. Éponine had reluctantly agreed, although in truth she was a little excited. She had never had female friends help her get ready for a date before. Azelma had sometimes watched Éponine put her makeup on before she went out with Montparnasse, but she didn't know if what they did qualified as "dating". More like meeting up whenever it was convenient for him or whenever she just needed to get out of her house.

She was curious about what Enjolras was planning, hopefully nothing too over the top. She knew he hadn't dated much before her; mostly blind dates the Amis set up that never really went anywhere. Girls flocked to him for his looks, but most of them weren't prepared for his intense demeanor and strong opinions. More than a few of those "dates" had ended with the girl in tears or Enjolras having a drink thrown in his face, or on one memorable occasion a combination of the two.

She had a feeling he was going to actually put an effort into this date though. She was just curious about what that effort was going to look like. She knew that he only had other people's stories and cheesy romantic movies (that she had forced him to watch) for reference on how dates were supposed to go. In fact, that was all she really had to go off of as well. She had only been on a few dates in college, and those were mainly casual one-time things at cheap restaurants near campus. She had been too focused on Marius to really emotionally commit to anyone. Looking back on it, she realized that might have been part of the appeal of liking Marius in the first place.

She wondered if Enjolras would try to make some big romantic gesture on their date, like renting out an entire restaurant or going up in a hot air balloon. She kept herself entertained for quite a while imagining Enjolras do such out of character things, but over the next few days before their date she began to wonder if she might not be so far off the mark after all.

It was on Wednesday that she began to become suspicious. She had just returned from a murderous shift and was pretty much ready to just throw off her clothes and fall into bed. She snuck into the apartment as quietly as possible so as to not bother Enjolras, and almost jumped when she heard him in the other room. She made her way towards their study/storage space for all of the baby things, happy to hear his voice as he had mainly been communicating in grunts recently. But once she was at the door she realized he was talking on the phone. She couldn't hear who was on the other line but his voice was coming in loud and clear.

"Thank you so much," she heard him saying politely. She recognized his tone of voice as one he used with people of authority. "You don't have to worry we're both very responsible... Of course, I understand you have to go. I'll just figure out the rest with him. Thank you again."

Maybe he was talking to one of his professors or something. But who was we? Whatever, it was none of her business anyway. She started to move away when she heard his voice again. It had changed, he now sounded informal but also slightly nervous, like he was talking to a different person. Maybe the "him" he had mentioned before?

"Hi again... Yeah, Friday at nine o'clock. We'll be there... Yes, both of us."

She suddenly realized he must be making plans for their date and she probably shouldn't be listening to this. She started to back away again but could still hear everything he was saying. She started slightly when she heard him laugh. It was short, but genuine. Was he talking to one of the Amis?

"If you don't see her you can assume I'm an axe murderer and turn around," he said lightly, his smile evident in his voice.

She stopped walking suddenly. _What the hell did that mean?_

"Okay, are you sure everything is all set with the tickets and everything? And you're sure the money I sent is enough? Perfect. Call me if there are any problems. We'll see you Friday then..."

There was a short silence in which she assumed the person on the other line was saying something. What did he mean about tickets? Maybe he _was_ planning something big. She was almost at the front door now, but his voice was still carrying through the apartment.

"Yeah, I should probably go too. I think Éponine will be home any minute now... Bye."

She waited for a few moments of silence before opening the front door and shutting it again. She felt guilty deceiving him, but he seemed to be putting a lot of effort into whatever he was planning. She didn't want it to seem like she had heard more than she had and mess up the surprise.

Enjolras poked his head out of his study, his eyes wide, as if wondering whether she overheard anything. "Hey," he said quickly, giving her a slight smile.

"Hey," she responded, perhaps a tad too brightly, as he disappeared back into his study. Yeah, something weird was definitely going on.

She moved to the bedroom and started changing into more comfortable clothes when she heard his voice again.

"Hey, so is Friday okay for our date?" he yelled, his voice slightly nervous.

"Yeah, that sounds perfect," she responded loudly, perhaps a little too quickly for someone just learning of this plan.

"Then I'll pick you up at your place around 7:30," he joked.

"I thought we were doing dinner _and_ a movie?" she answered back.

There was a slight pause. "I'll pick you up at your place around 5:00," he corrected.

"Are you sure you know where I live?" she asked him.

"I think I can manage," he replied lightly.

There was silence then, Enjolras seemingly getting back to his work. She wondered what he could possibly be planning. He better not have spent too much money on those tickets, whatever they were for. Although she wouldn't _completely _object to a hot air balloon ride...

The next day didn't do anything to convince her that he wasn't about to spend entirely too much money on her. As they walked to class he mentioned seeing an early movie so they could have dinner around 7:00, which Éponine realized would fit right into his schedule with the mysterious 9 o'clock ticket-requiring event. She knew she shouldn't interfere, but she couldn't help inquiring about their plans for the night.

"You aren't planning anything big are you?" she asked, trying not to sound too suspicious.

Enjolras flushed slightly and avoided her eyes, and even if Éponine wasn't skilled at reading body language she would have known that was a pretty resounding _yes._

He evaded her question, turning the conversation to what movie she wanted to see. She felt a stab of annoyance at all the secrecy surrounding this date. She had always liked the idea of surprises, never having much opportunity for them when she was younger (or at least not _good_ surprises). It was why she had refused to learn the baby's sex. But now that she was on the receiving end of such a surprise, she wasn't sure she wanted it. It was _killing_ her not knowing what was going on. She knew she should just be happy that he was planning it in the first place, but she couldn't help punishing him slightly by telling him she wanted to see the new Nicholas Spark's movie, the one that looked like it might be too sappy even for her. She saw the muscle in his jaw twitch slightly, but to his credit he managed not to comment on her film choice. She was actually pretty impressed by his restraint.

Before they separated for the day he asked her the question that confounded her most of all.

"Hey, you don't have any plans for the rest of this weekend do you? Or a lot of homework?" His voice seemed indifferent but the way his hand flew nervously to scratch the back of his head gave away the significance of the question.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Well I have to work on Saturday, but other than that I'm free. And I have no more homework than usual. Why?" she asked suspiciously.

"No reason," he answered a little too quickly. "Just wondering. I have to go, have a nice day." He gave her a kiss on the cheek before practically scampering away, barely giving her time to yell a quick goodbye.

She watched as his figure faded into the distance. Did this just go from dinner and a movie to a weekend long event?

Enjolras was absent that night in the Musain, opting to stay at home and finish his work instead. It became glaringly obvious to Éponine within the first few minutes that he had let the Amis in on his plan. Everyone was avoiding her eyes, like they all knew something she didn't. Cosette and Musichetta were giggling at the counter and casting glances at her every few minutes. She felt her curiosity grow. What exactly was he planning? The way everyone was acting it was as if he had booked a private jet. Maybe he _had_ booked a private jet...

She found herself watching the Amis, wondering who would be the easiest to crack. Probably Grantaite, if he had enough to drink. Then again Jean Prouvaire looked positively giddy and was probably bursting to let her in on the surprise. She almost cornered him when he went up to the counter for a drink, but she managed to stop herself at the last second. Enjolras had gone through a lot of trouble to plan this surprise for her, even taking time out of completing his crushing workload to make mysterious phone calls. The least she could do was actually be surprised.

By the time Friday finally came around her nerves about their date had begun to somewhat outshine her curiosity. Her morning seemed to fly by, and in no time at all she found herself in her room, surrounded by an explosion of clothes and makeup while Cosette and Musichetta prodded at her with eyeliner and curling irons. She distracted herself by looking around at all of the outfits she had strewn across her room in her search for something to wear. She had looked through all of her clothes and still had come up with nothing. Part of this was nerves, but most of it was the fact that she just didn't feel like she looked very good in anything at the moment. She knew she was being ridiculous and that Enjolras probably wouldn't care if she wore sweatpants, but she wanted this night to be special. Which meant she wanted to feel special. And right now none of her clothes were doing that for her.

It wasn't really the weight she had gained in general that was making her feel uncomfortable with whatever clothes she put on. It was the fact that her body didn't feel like it was hers anymore. It was like someone had implanted her brain into someone else's body. She had always been skinny, probably too skinny since she never really had enough food growing up. And now she had this giant bump growing out of her, and her body just didn't look the way she had come to expect it to look whenever she saw herself in the mirror. So no matter what clothes she put on, they just didn't look right, because she didn't look like herself. And even if she wasn't pregnant, what exactly did one wear to a surprise, all-weekend event which involved tickets and possibly copious amounts of money anyway?

Cosette seemed to have noticed Éponine's troubled expression and the longing look she was shooting at the pre-pregnancy clothes that were still hanging neatly in her closet. She paused her attack on Éponine's hair and seemed to think for a moment before walking over to her closet, searching quietly though her clothes.

"Cosette, there's no point even looking through there, nothing is going to fit me right now," Éponine said in a slightly sulking voice. She suddenly felt very irrationally upset. Maybe the hormones were starting to come back full force again. She pitied Enjolras if that was the case.

"I just remembered that dress you wore to my engagement party. It was white with a sort of floral design on it. I remember hanging it in your closet when I helped you move. And it was kind of flowy with an empire waistline so I think it would still fit pretty well. Oh, here it is!" Cosette exclaimed as she finally found the dress she was looking for hidden in the back of the closet. She pulled out the dress with a flourish, beaming as she brought it out for Éponine to see.

Éponine blushed a deep scarlet when she recalled what had happened the last time she had worn that dress, or more accurately what had happened the last time she had taken that dress _off_.

Musichetta noticed the reddening of Éponine's face before Cosette did. "Wait, is that the dress you were wearing when...?"

"Yep," Éponine answered quickly, cutting her off before she could finish her sentence.

Cosette blushed as well as she suddenly realized what they were talking about. "Oh yeah, my engagement party... I forgot," she said, her tone slightly embarrassed. "But I think it would still look pretty great on you, why don't you just try it on?"

Éponine begrudgingly got up and took the dress from Cosette's hands, slipping out of the yoga pants and ratty t-shirt she was currently wearing and stepping into it. In truth she had completely forgotten she even owned this dress. The morning after Cosette and Marius' engagement party she had picked it up off where it had been thrown on her floor and shoved it as far back in her closet as it could go, eager to forget about the night where she had not only watched the man she "loved" celebrate his engagement but also possibly ruined another of her relationships by drunkenly sleeping with one of her best friends. She hadn't even looked at it before shoving it in a box when she moved out of her old apartment, and she guessed Cosette had been the one to hang it back up for her.

She didn't bother looking in the mirror after Cosette zipped her up, but her friends' delighted expressions told her all she needed to know. She almost groaned. Of course _this_ dress would be the one to look good on her when nothing else did.

"Éponine you look amazing," Cosette exclaimed. "I think it looks even better than the last time you wore it. I mean, I can tell you are pregnant obviously, but it's a good thing. I know it's a cliché, but I swear you look like you are glowing." Musichetta nodded her head in agreement, looking a little teary eyed at her friend going on her sort-of first official date.

Éponine rolled her eyes at Cosette's compliments, sure she was exaggerating. But when she turned around she had to admit that the dress did look pretty good. Perhaps even better than before with her newfound cleavage. The dress had always been the tiniest bit baggy on the top, and now it fit perfectly. And maybe it was the fact that she had seen herself in this dress before, but she actually felt like herself in it. Even with the noticeable bump. She wondered if Enjolras would remember when he last saw her in it.

"Well that settles it, that is definitely what you are wearing," Musichetta said with a sniffle. "And if it got you into Enjolras' pants before, maybe it will again," she added, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

She whacked Musichetta on the arm lightly as she blushed again. But she didn't take off the dress as she sat back down, knowing that it was the only option for tonight. Musichetta and Cosette continued their assault on her face and hair, and she had to say she was happy with the result. She certainly looked better than when she got ready by herself. She realized that it was almost time to leave for the movie, and was about to rush Musichetta and Cosette out of the apartment when a thought occurred to her.

She went to her jewelry box and pulled out the necklace Enjolras had given her for Christmas. She normally would have balked at wearing something so expensive, especially on a date where she was supposedly only going to dinner and a movie. But without a fancy dress the necklace could pass for something you could wear everyday, as long as nobody looked too closely. And she knew what it would mean to him if she wore it. What it would mean for her as well. Cosette and Musichetta stared at her as she put it on.

"Where did you get that?" Cosette asked, open-mouthed. "It's beautiful. Are those real diamonds?"

Éponine blushed slightly in embarrassment, realizing she had never told her friends about her present. "Yeah, Enjolras gave it to me for Christmas."

Both Cosette and Musichetta went wide-eyed. Éponine realized what they must have thought.

"Oh, no he didn't buy it for me," she explained quickly. "It used to be his mother's."

Musichetta looked like she was seconds away from bursting into tears. "He gave you something that used to belong to his mother? That is so sweet."

Her bottom lip was quivering and Éponine knew it was only seconds before the tears would start falling. In truth, her own eyes were starting to get a little watery remembering the night Enjolras gave her the necklace, and she really didn't want to mess up her makeup. Cosette solved the problem by quickly hurrying Musichetta out of the apartment, wishing her luck with a knowing look on her face as they left.

Once they were gone Éponine felt the anticipation build. She knew she should calm down. She was only going on a date with a man she had been in a relationship with for months, but somehow it felt more important than that. It suddenly occurred to her that the apartment was completely silent. She had thought Enjolras was in the living room waiting for her, after all he had already taken a shower and other than putting on some clothes that was pretty much his entire routine. Maybe he had slipped out to make some last minute preparations or something.

She called out his name but there was no answer. She was confused, but went back to her room to get her things, figuring she should be ready when he returned since they needed to leave soon. She was just picking up her purse when there was a knock at the door. Perplexed at who it could be, she walked quickly to the door and pulled it open, smiling widely when she realized who it was.

Enjolras was at the door, a bouquet of flowers in his hand (orchids, her favorite). He smiled nervously.

"Hi," he said softly, his eyes meeting hers.

"Hi," she replied. "You do realize you have a key right?" she asked, bemused.

"Well we're going on a date, and that means picking you up at your door. Even if it's my door too," he added as he blushed slightly, obviously knowing that he was being overly cheesy. He probably also knew that she loved it way more than she cared to admit. He held out the bouquet for her. "These are for you," he said softly.

She took the flowers, smiling brightly. "Thank you. They're my favorite. I don't know how you knew that considering this is only our first date."

"Lucky guess," he replied lightly. "Can I come in?" he asked with a shy smile.

"Oh yes, of course," she replied, going along with his ruse. "I'm sorry if it's a little _too_ clean. My roommate has a bit of a problem." She moved towards the kitchen to fetch a vase for the flowers.

"No, I'd say this is probably the perfect amount of clean. Although I really like the touches you've added, like the clothes littering the floor of your bedroom," Enjolras said loudly from the other room.

Éponine blushed slightly, realizing she really had made a huge mess. She had forgotten that it wasn't just _her_ bedroom. She tried to think of a witty comeback, but was drawing a blank. So instead she just stated the truth. "Well, I had to try on a lot of clothes. None of them really fit me anymore," she admitted as she reentered the room with a vase full of water, wincing at how insecure she sounded. She arranged her flowers carefully to avoid looking him in the eyes.

She heard him take a few steps and then felt his presence behind her. He put his hand on her shoulder and she turned around. He lightly lifted her chin so she was staring into the blue of his eyes. "Éponine, you look amazing. You always look amazing," he said softly.

Éponine scoffed. "Say that again in a few months when I'm no longer able to see my own feet."

"I will," Enjolras said gently. "And it will be the truth."

She could tell from his eyes that he meant every word, and she felt some of her insecurities melting away. But she had never been very good at accepting praise, and she was starting to feel slightly uncomfortable under his penetrating stare. "Thank you for saying that," she said sincerely. "You've fulfilled your compliment quota for the night, so you can stop showering me with praise now."

"But isn't that my job?" Enjolras asked. "From my research into the ancient custom known as "dating", I understand the male of the species is supposed to provide the female with sustenance and entertainment while presenting her with gifts and praise until she makes the misguided decision to sleep with him."

"You make it sound so romantic," Éponine deadpanned.

Enjolras shrugged. "I try," he said with a smile. "I did mean it though. You look incredible." His eyes scanned over her. He suddenly furrowed his brow as if he was trying to remember something. "That dress..." he trailed off as recognition suddenly flashed in his eyes. She smiled as he blushed.

"I take it you remember the last time I wore this?" she asked teasingly.

Enjolras let out a low chuckle. "Yes. Especially considering I was the one that helped you out of it." He meant it as a joke but his voice was slightly husky. He continued to gaze at her and it suddenly felt as though the temperature in the room had risen several degrees. Éponine swallowed thickly. This date had just taken a turn from cute and sweet to the possibility of them never actually making it out of the apartment.

Enjolras shook his head quickly, as if to shake out his thoughts. He coughed slightly, "We should get going," he said quickly, his voice slightly raspy. "I know you don't like missing the previews."

She felt a little unsettled herself. "Yeah, let's head out," she answered quickly.

He offered her his arm and she took it, both trying to ignore the current of electricity that ran through them.

Their conversation in the car ride to the theater was awkward, to say the least. After their little moment in the apartment they couldn't seem to get back to the seamless conversation they had achieved earlier. She knew her dress, or the memory it represented, was distracting both of them. Maybe it had been a mistake to wear it. On the other hand, she was glad to know that the spark between them was definitely still present. At the moment perhaps _too_ present.

The tension didn't break until they were waiting in the line for tickets. They kept catching each other's eyes and then quickly looking away and blushing. To the others in line with them they probably looked like shy teenagers on their first date, which might have been believable if not for her very prominent baby bump. She looked up once again, expecting another awkward eye avoidance moment, but found that his eyes were not on hers at all. Instead, he seemed to be looking rather intently at her breasts. Just blatantly staring. She waited a moment to see if it was just a momentary glance, but his gaze didn't linger. In fact he seemed to be deep in thought. He smiled and Éponine felt her face growing bright red. She knew her breasts had gotten a little bigger but she didn't think that was a reason to stare at them in public. She hit him on the arm, hard, and he startled, looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"My eyes are up here," she said fiercely. "How would you like it if I just stared at your crotch for a minute straight."

Enjolras looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "What?" he sputtered.

"You know what you did," Éponine said with a glare. "I mean I know they are a little bigger but can you at least wait until we're in the dark movie theater to stare at them like a normal person."

Enjolras looked completely bewildered. "What are you talking about?"

His eyes moved down to where they had been before and recognition dawned on his features as he started laughing. Éponine felt her annoyance rising.

"I wasn't looking _there_," he said quickly, laughter still evident in his voice. "I was looking at your necklace. I didn't notice it before with the dress and everything."

Éponine looked down and sure enough her necklace was almost reaching her cleavage, and was most likely what he was actually staring at.

"Oh..." she said softly, completely embarrassed at her outburst. "Sorry."

"It's alright," Enjolras said with a smile. In an undertone he added, "I might have been looking there a little bit as well."

Éponine opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a throat clearing behind them. They both turned around to see a middle aged couple with their teenage daughter. They had disapproving looks on their faces. It dawned on Éponine that although it had felt like her and Enjolras were in their own little world, they were in fact in a public place and everyone around them could hear exactly what they were saying. She felt herself blush for what might be the hundredth time that night, and probably wouldn't be the last.

Luckily, they had finally reached the front of the line and were able to buy their tickets and make a quick escape. When they had put a little distance between themselves and the couple Enjolras leaned down and whispered in Éponine's ear, "Thank you for wearing that necklace. It means a lot to me."

Éponine looked up at him and smiled. "It means a lot to me too," she whispered. She took his hand and squeezed it lightly. Enjolras squeezed back, his mouth turned up in a small smile as well.

A group of loud teenagers walked up behind them and the buttery smell of popcorn suddenly wafted over her. It was at this moment that she realized they were already in line to get their tickets ripped, and yet she had not received her normal dose of candy from the concession stand. She thought about mentioning it, but Enjolras had already given their tickets to the attendant. Plus it wasn't really fair to ask him to stop for overpriced candy when she knew he would insist on paying. And that couple she had embarrassed herself in front of were at the back of the line, and she didn't feel like dealing with their judging glances. She would just have to be a grown up and ignore the horrible sugar craving that had suddenly hit her. She wondered if that was another pregnancy symptom or just her normal sweet tooth.

Éponine mourned the loss of chocolate as the concession stand got farther and farther away. When they reached their seats she was slightly pouting, maturity be damned. Enjolras looked at her and smiled.

"Check your bag," he whispered.

She raised her eyebrow at him but did as he asked. She was surprised to find a bottle of water along with three different boxes of candy– all her favorites, and all containing chocolate.

She looked up at him with narrowed eyes. "How did you...?"

"I slipped them in your bag while I was helping you out of the car," he said with a slightly smug look on his face. She could tell he was proud of himself for out-stealthing a former pickpocket.

"Hmm, common thievery I see? I really have created a monster," she said in an impressed voice.

"I wouldn't call it thievery, more like reverse pickpocketing," he answered.

Éponine snorted slightly at this. "You're pretty proud of yourself aren't you?" He nodded. Éponine scoffed lightly. "How rebellious of you, sneaking candy into a movie theater."

"Hey, it is outrageous how much they are asking for something you could buy at a quarter of the price in a drug store," Enjolras argued. "And I knew you needed your chocolate fix."

"I have taught you well," she said, impressed. "But you do realize that you were smuggling the goods in _my_ purse. Which means I would have gotten in trouble if we were caught."

Enjolras smiled. "If you were caught I would take the blame."

"How noble of you," she said lightly.

"I'm glad you think so."

There was silence for a few moments, the only sound the crinkling noise she was creating as she freed a box of candy from its cellophane wrapper. Enjolras glanced at the still black screen. "So on a scale of Feuilly getting a paper cut from one of his fans to Bossuet falling through the roof of his living room, how painful is this movie going to be for me to watch?"

Éponine smirked. "Well I haven't seen it yet, but based on the trailer I'd say Courfeyrac getting hit in the groin by a football and then proceeding to fall and break his wrist painful."

Enjolras winced. "That bad huh?"

"Hey, you let me pick the movie," Éponine pointed out.

"It was one of your conditions to going out with me in the first place!" Enjolras protested.

She shushed him as the first preview appeared on the screen.

They spent most of the movie in silence, only interacting for a silent and brief but vicious fight over control of the candy. Éponine won. She spent a few minutes smugly enjoying her candy while Enjolras looked on, but eventually gave in and shared the rest. She wasn't heartless after all.

She got a little more absorbed in the movie then she would like to admit. Sure it was cheesy and completely unrealistic, but there was something nice about just watching a love story that she knew would have a happy ending. She had stolen a few glances at Enjolras throughout the movie and almost every time caught him watching her before he had a chance to quickly look away. She was distracted from thinking about his actions by the movie, but once the credits started to role she began to feel guilty about making him pay to see a movie he had disliked so much. She bit her lip as she helped him clean up the mess of candy wrappers they had left in their wake.

"I'm sorry I made you see that," she apologized. "I know you were probably bored out of your mind."

Enjolras' brow furrowed. "Why would you say that?"

"Every time I looked over at you, you were watching me instead of the movie," she replied matter-of-factly.

Enjolras blushed a little. "I guess I just found your reactions to the movie more interesting than the movie itself," he confessed after a moment.

Éponine blushed as well, smiling to herself as he took her hand and started to head towards the exit.

"And I was paying attention to the movie, mostly," Enjolras admitted. "It was actually okay. It was sappy but not completely cringe inducing. I don't think any recent Nicholas Sparks movies have lived up to _The Notebook_ though."

At this Éponine stopped in her tracks. She stared at Enjolras, a wry smile appearing on her face as her eyes glittered with mirth. Enjolras suddenly looked worried, he knew nothing good ever followed that look.

"Wait, are you actually admitting that you liked _The Notebook_?" she asked incredulously. "And that you've seen enough Nicholas Sparks movies to make comparisons between them?"

Enjolras' face turned a deep shade of red. "I've only seen those movies because you made me watch them," he sputtered. "And yes, maybe _The Notebook_ wasn't that bad. If it wasn't for Jean Prouvaire hysterically crying at the end I might have even enjoyed it."

Éponine tried to hold back her amusement, but once a slight giggle escaped her lips she couldn't hold back any more and soon she was doubling over in laughter. The rest of the moviegoers gave her weird looks as they passed but she was laughing too hard to care.

"What? It wasn't a bad movie. It's one of your favorites, why is this so funny?" Enjolras said indignantly, trying desperately to salvage the situation. "The chemistry between the Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams was actually pretty realistic."

At this point Éponine could barely breath she was laughing so hard. "You know the actors names and everything," she wheezed.

"They're famous actors! Of course I know their names. I might try and avoid all of that stuff but I don't live under a rock," Enjolras retorted, his voice getting slightly higher in his embarrassment. He tried to glare at her, but her amusement was contagious and his frown had started to turn up slightly.

"Come on, seriously it's not that funny," he protested weakly. But the promise of laughter was evident in his voice, and soon enough he was chuckling along with her as well.

Éponine finally managed to calm down after a few minutes. She wiped the tears out of her eyes as she realized they were the only ones left in the theater. The custodian was standing near the entrance, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for them to clear out. Éponine quickly pulled Enjolras towards the exit, giving the woman an apologetic glance as they passed.

"Just promise you won't tell the Amis what I said?" Enjolras said quietly.

"Your secret obsession with romantic movies is safe with me," she promised.

Enjolras cheeks turned pink once again. "It's not an obsession..."

Éponine put her hand on his arm. "I know, I'm sorry. I just can't help winding you up sometimes," she told him. She put her hand on his shoulder as she stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear, "You're cute when you're flustered."

She had meant the comment as innocent teasing, but somehow it had turned into something else. As she pulled back his eyes met hers and stayed there. She lowered herself back to the ground but couldn't seem to take her hand off his shoulder. The easy smile she had on slipped off her face and she was suddenly frozen in place.

Enjolras seemed to feel it too. She watched his pupils grow wider, his eyes darkening slightly. He reached out his hand and rested it on her cheek, and it felt so familiar yet exhilarating at the same time. Her gaze dropped down to his lips and this time she was the one to lean in first. He leaned in slightly as well, and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she felt his lips upon hers.

They had barely touched when there was a rumbling noise and a stampede of people emerged from the theater to their left. They moved away from each other so fast that Éponine almost tripped, and Enjolras had to reach out and grab her arm to keep her from falling. Éponine practically growled at the moviegoers as they passed by. She could not believe this was this had happened again. Why did they have such horrible timing? _Or maybe, _her brain reasoned, _the problem is that you keep trying to have private moments in public places_.

Enjolras looked a little put out too, but when Éponine made eye contact they both looked down quickly. Were they going to spend the entire night alternating between awkward moments and extreme bouts of sexual tension? She was glad when Enjolras cleared his throat and announced that it was time to go to dinner. Although she wasn't sure that staring directly at each other for an hour and a half was going to help.

The car ride back from the movie theater was almost worse than the ride there. The tension between them was so palpable she could almost physically feel it, like the fuzzy sensation of static electricity. Neither of them seemed to be able to think of anything to say, and after several failed conversation starters she turned on the radio to distract them both from the deafening silence. It worked for a while, but the minutes still seemed to be ticking by agonizingly slow. Éponine was startled when Enjolras turned off the car and the music shut off as well. She looked around and realized they were in an unfamiliar parking lot. In fact, she couldn't recognize any of the landmarks around them. She had thought the ride had felt endless because of the awkward silence, but now she realized that they really had been driving for a long time.

She wondered why they had come so far for dinner when there were plenty of perfectly good restaurants closer to where they lived. Her confusion multiplied when they entered the restaurant and realized it wasn't anything particularly special. It was perfect of course, and exactly what she had asked for– a nice but low-key place where the food didn't look too expensive. But why had they come all the way out here when there were multiple places much closer to where they lived which would have met the same specifications? The only explanation she could come up with was that the mystery event he had planned would take place somewhere near here. She just wished she was more familiar with the area, then maybe she could have figured out what it was for herself.

Enjolras gave his name and they were seated almost immediately. The waitress looked like she was in a hurry, quickly taking their drink orders before hurrying away. Once she was gone they stared at each other for a few moments; the tension not quite as prominent as it had been before but still very present.

"So, why did you pick this place?" Éponine asked, breaking the silence.

"Jean Prouvaire suggested it actually," Enjolras answered quickly, not mentioning the distance it had taken them to get here.

Éponine raised an eyebrow. "So then you broke one of my provisions for this date," she said lightly. At Enjolras' perplexed look she added, "I told you not to let Jean Prouvaire plan anything."

Enjolras smiled. "Believe me, this was the only aspect of the date I let him decide. He was looking into mariachi bands and hot air balloon rides."

Éponine chuckled a little._ Well, that's one thing I can cross off my list_, she thought to herself.

There was another bout of silence. "So, what do people talk about on dates?" she asked him, trying desperately to break the tension.

Enjolras looked pensive. "I don't know. Probably their interests, their families, where they went to school."

"Well I'm pretty sure your interests are the pursuit of freedom and Nicholas Sparks movies. Your family I'm probably a little too familiar with, and we go to school together. So what does that leave us with?"

Enjolras looked like he wanted to say something about her movie comment but stopped himself. "Why don't we just talk about whatever you want to talk about?" he said with a half-smile. "Ask me anything."

She knew she should probably just go along with their playful teasing. But a question had suddenly popped into her head, something she had been wondering for a while. And she realized she wanted the answer.

Enjolras was still smirking at her, probably thinking she was going to ask if he had read _The Notebook_ and if he enjoyed it as much as the movie. But at the moment that was the furthest thing from her mind.

"What happened during the riot?" she blurted out. "I know you and Combeferre were separated and during that time you hit your head, but I've seen you in situations like that. You're always the most level-headed one there, it isn't like you to just trip."

Enjolras' eyes went wide when he realized what she was asking. "You want to talk about the riot?" he asked incredulously.

Éponine realized she had wanted to talk about it for a while. "Yes," she answered quickly.

Enjolras ran his hand through his hair absentmindedly. He looked down for a moment, his brow furrowed. It was the same face he made before a big speech, just before he stood in front of the crowd while he was still collecting his thoughts. After a moment he looked straight at her.

"Well, after Combeferre..."

"Are you ready to order?" a cheerful voice interrupted.

They both turned to the waitress, startled. Éponine thought about asking her to give them a few minutes, but she was starving and this conversation might take some time. She glanced at the menu quickly, ordering the first thing she saw that looked remotely appetizing.

Enjolras didn't even look at the menu. Instead he simply said, "I'll have the same."

He waited for the waitress to walk away before continuing. He turned and his gaze met hers once again. He didn't waste any time in continuing.

"After Combeferre and I were separated, the police threw tear gas, which I believe you knew." Éponine nodded, not wanting to interrupt him. Enjolras continued, "I couldn't see anything, everyone was shoving and pushing and trying to get away. I was almost knocked over a few times but I managed to stay upright." He paused for a moment, looking a little nervous. She knew he had gotten to the part of the story that he knew might upset her.

He was watching her carefully now so he could gauge her reaction to his next few words. "After a few minutes, I was able to see again, though not very well, and I heard a scream. A teenage girl close to me had gotten her shoe stuck in a crack in the pavement and had fallen over. It was one of those complicated looking high heels with a bunch of straps, like those black ones you have. I knew she wouldn't be able to get it out in time and would probably be trampled. So I knelt down and helped her pull it out. I was just starting to stand back up when someone kicked me in the back of the head. I was disoriented and fell over, and that's when I blacked out. When I woke up again I was in the hospital."

Éponine was silent for a few moments as she processed the information. Enjolras waited patiently for her to respond.

"What happened to the girl?" she asked quietly.

Enjolras thought for a moment. "I don't know, I saw her get up. But that's all I remember. I'm guessing she got away. Combeferre didn't say anything about seeing her."

"I can't believe she just ran away though. You saved her life and she left you for dead," Éponine said darkly, suddenly furious with this random girl she had never met.

"I don't blame her. She was pretty young, probably eighteen at the most. And she was scared. Most people in her situation probably would have done the same thing," Enjolras said reasonably.

"Still, I wouldn't have just left you there," Éponine said huffily.

"I know," Enjolras said softly. "But you're not most people."

Éponine blushed slightly, turning her eyes down. She could feel Enjolras' gaze on her.

"It figures that you got hurt doing something noble, so I can't really be that mad at you for it," she said quietly.

Enjolras eyes lit up at her comment. "So you aren't mad at me for putting myself in more danger?" he asked hopefully.

Éponine was surprised that he would think that. Although she supposed that given the recent circumstances it made sense. "I could never be mad at you for saving someone's life," she told him. "The riot itself was incredibly stupid. But saving that girl? That was pretty brave." Enjolras smiled at her comment.

"I am mad at her though. Who wears high heels to a riot?" Éponine added. "I know she was young, but what was she thinking? How are you supposed to run from the police in heels?"

Enjolras chuckled. "She probably wasn't planning on being there. And I seem to remember you wearing heels during that tuition fee protest junior year and spraining your ankle running away from campus police."

Éponine felt a rush of embarrassment at the memory. Bahorel had had to pick her up and carry her fireman style so they could escape. It hadn't been her smoothest moment.

"Yeah well... I had forgotten about that," was her remarkable comeback.

Enjolras smiled. He gazed at her for a moment, biting the side of his lip as if he was weighing his next words in his mind. "I'm glad we can talk about this," he said cautiously. "The riot I mean. It feels like we're working through it instead of going backwards." He looked at her expectantly, as if wondering if this was the right thing to say.

Éponine felt guilty thinking back to how she had acted right after he had gotten out of the hospital. Part of her knew it had been justified, but she also knew she could have handled it better. "I'm sorry I was so closed off," she started. "I just..."

"You don't have to apologize," Enjolras interrupted. He looked at her calmly. "You were mad at me. You're probably still a little mad at me. And I deserve it."

Éponine thought back to the last week, to the day they had spent together, to the way she felt with him. She realized the slight awkwardness that had been prevalent the entire day was due to the fact that they were currently at a standstill. They weren't moving forward or backwards, and because of that they didn't know how to act with each other. But she could change that.

"That's the thing though, I'm not really mad at you anymore," she said softly.

Enjolras' eyes flashed with hope. "You're not?"

"No, I haven't been for a while." She didn't realize how true the words were until she spoke them. "I was just scared to let you in again. Scared that I wasn't ready to let you in again."

"And you're not scared anymore?" he said quietly, hopefully.

"No. I'm not."

Enjolras smiled widely. He reached out and took her hand.

"So, you forgive me?"

Éponine smiled back. "Isn't that what I just said?"

He looked slightly disappointed, "I guess."

Éponine groaned theatrically, but she knew what he wanted to hear. What he had been waiting to hear for more than a week. "If you really need to hear me say it, then yes. I forgive you."

Enjolras smiled widely. "Thank you." He leaned in for a moment before realizing there was a table between them and they were in a room full of people. He looked as if he was contemplating walking around the table to reach her but decided against. So instead he lightly kissed her hand.

Feeling his lips on her skin, Éponine suddenly wished were the type of people that could make out unabashedly in public. She could tell by the way Enjolras was looking at her that he was thinking the same thing. For a second she seriously considered whether or not they could sneak to the bathroom together. But they were on a date, and that didn't seem very romantic. For now she would have to settle with the way he was rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. Although that might just be making things worse. She tried to think of a topic that would distract them.

"So, have you thought about any more baby names? Last time you asked me I wasn't exactly in a talking mood."

Enjolras looked relieved for the distraction as well. "There is one name I was thinking of..."

"We are not naming our child Patria."

"But..."

"No,"

Enjolras sulked slightly. "What about.."

"Not Liberté either."

They managed to continue this conversation long enough for their food to come, and then they managed to distract themselves with their dinner. But it wasn't long before they were both finished and once again Éponine's mind was on how long it would be until they finally got some _real_ alone time together. Enjolras seemed to be thinking along the same lines. He rubbing circles gently on the back of her hand as they waited for the check. Suddenly the circles stopped and when she looked up Enjolras had a panicked look in his eyes as he stared at his watch.

"Shit. Sorry. I just realized we're going to be late if we don't leave in the next two minutes," he said quickly as he flagged down the waitress. Éponine realized she had forgotten all about the surprise. She wasn't sure she wanted it anymore. Unless the surprise was them finally getting some privacy. Within a minute Enjolras had the check paid and was rushing her out the door. He had moved so fast she actually felt a little dizzy. Halfway to the car he suddenly stopped in his tracks and pulled her near the side of the building.

"What are you doing?" she asked, puzzled. She stopped talking when she saw the look in his eyes. He put his hand to the side of her face and before she had time comprehend what was happening, he was kissing her. It happened so suddenly that it took her a second to respond. Once she realized what was happening her body took over and she was kissing him back just as passionately.

It was a little rushed at first, as if they were trying to make up for their lack of physical contact in the past few days. But soon they slowed down, just savoring the feeling of being together. It felt familiar, but there was a novelty to it as well. Like it was like their hundredth kiss and their first kiss all wrapped into one. She put her arms around his neck and he moved a hand to her waist, pulling her closer.

She suddenly felt so connected with him, so sure about her feelings and his. She could feel how much he loved her, how sorry he was, how blissful he was in this moment. She tried to show him that she felt the same way. She wondered why they didn't just communicate like this all the time, why language even existed. She had almost forgotten how she felt when she was kissing him, like she was floating away and he was the only one keeping her on the ground. There was a warmth spreading through her entire body and she just wanted to stay here the entire night, doing just this. She wouldn't mind if there was a crowd of people watching them, because at the moment he was the only other person that existed.

Unfortunately they needed oxygen to breathe and had to pull away from each other eventually. Enjolras rested his forehead against hers as they both gulped for air. Now that they were separated she realized how fast her heart was beating. She couldn't tell how much of the fluttering in her stomach was caused by the baby and how much was the butterflies flitting around.

"I thought we were in a rush," she said breathlessly.

"We are," he answered, breathing heavily as well. "But I really, really wanted to do that and I don't think I'll get the chance later."

Éponine wanted to ask what he meant, but he already had his hand around her waist and was guiding her back to the car. She let him, still a little dazed from their kiss. He helped her into her seat, before rushing to the driver's side himself. He turned on the car and sat there for a moment, as if he had to remember how to drive. Éponine was touching her lips, wondering if the tingling sensation would ever go away.

Enjolras seemed to finally regain his bearings and pulled out of the parking lot.

"You know, I think this night has been more than enough. We could just head back to the apartment and continue what we started," Éponine said softly.

Enjolras looked like there was nothing he would rather do. He swallowed thickly. "I wish we could," he said in a slightly pained voice. "But that's not really an option with what I have planned."

Éponine wondered what could possibly be so important, but she didn't question him. She rested her head contently on his shoulder as he drove, reliving their moment outside the restaurant over and over in her mind. It was only a few minutes before they pulled into a parking lot. Enjolras looked like he was in a hurry as he glanced at his watch, quickly helping her out of her car and taking her hand as they walked into a building. She barely even registered their surroundings, content to let him steer them in the right direction as she focused mainly on the feel of his hand in hers. It was only when they had gone up a flight of stairs and into a crowded room that she recognized where they were.

The train station wasn't too crowded, it being almost nine o'clock, but there were still people bustling around them in a hurry. The noise took her by surprise. She had been so wrapped up in her their little world that the regular bustle and chatter sounded deafening. Enjolras was looking intently at a list of departure and arrival times and she squinted at it as well, wondering which one he was looking at. Were they going somewhere? Was that the surprise? It made sense, that could be why he asked if she was free the whole weekend. Maybe he had secretly packed her a bag, but he didn't seem to be carrying anything. She was just about to check which trains were leaving at 9:00 when Enjolras announced, "Track 5," and started hurrying forward. She almost had to jog to keep up with his stride.

She was surprised when they reached the platform and the train hadn't yet arrived. He stopped them in front of an empty track. She had so many questions that she didn't know which one to ask first. He saved her the trouble by interrupting her thoughts.

"I just want to say that I have had this planned out for a while, before the riot even," Enjolras told her, looking a little jumpy now that they were finally standing still. "This is just the only time I managed to get everything all worked out. I don't want you to think that I did this to get you to forgive me. Think of it as a belated Christmas present."

She was about to ask what "this" was when she heard the train coming. It screeched to a stop in front of them and people began to pour out as the door opened. She tried to look for some indication of where they were going but the train itself didn't give any clues. Once the last person exited the door in front of them she expected Enjolras to rush them onto the train. But he didn't move. She looked up at him, perplexed, but he was looking around the platform as if searching for something. He seemed to find it as his gaze locked onto a point in the distance and he smiled. She followed his line of sight and her mouth fell open in shock. For a moment was sure the two figures were a mirage, brought on by some weird pregnancy hormonal imbalance that was causing her to see things that weren't there.

She watched as the very real-looking hallucinations caught her eye and smiled, moving towards her quickly as they dragged their suitcases behind them. Éponine wanted to move forward to meet them halfway but her feet weren't listening to her brain. She glanced up at Enjolras and saw that he was watching her carefully, a huge smile on his face. It suddenly hit her through the shock and awe that he had been the one to put this together. Before she had time to even comprehend what this meant or how he had done it, they were in front of her. The three of them stood there for a moment, just staring at one another, and she didn't know how to act, what to do, what to say. But these thoughts all disappeared when she found herself engulfed on either side in a bear hug. She found herself hugging them back just as tightly. Tears filled her eyes as she realized this was real, that she could feel them and they were actually here.

She didn't know if they resented her, or if they had changed in the past four years, or even how long they were staying. But right now none of it mattered. Because after four long years of worry and shame and regret, she finally had her brother and sister safe in her arms again.


End file.
